Rohit Sharma is set to make his first appearance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy since 2018, opening for Mumbai in their Group C opener against Sikkim today. The 38-year-old, who now focuses exclusively on the ODI format, arrived in Jaipur on Tuesday for an hour-long net session at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
While Mumbai’s squad is led by Shardul Thakur and includes players like Sarfaraz Khan and Tanush Kotian, the focus remains on Rohit as he prepares for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand starting in January.
Sikkim captain Leeyong Lepcha, a 34-year-old offspinner, said “It is not every day that we get the opportunity to go up against a player of Rohit Sharma’s stature. It is huge for us to compete against him and just be in his shadow, just be around him. If we can go back home and share this experience, it will definitely help more youngsters take up the sport.”
Authorities in Jaipur have opened the East Stand of the Sawai Mansingh Stadium to the public for free. A crowd of 2,000 to 3,000 was expected, and security had been increased. But visuals show, more than 10,000 local fans have turned up, while a few had already caught a glimpse of Rohit during his training session at the RCA Academy ground.
Rohit enters the competition in solid form, having registered three 50+ scores in his last four international innings, including an unbeaten 121 against Australia in Sydney. He is scheduled to play two matches for Mumbai; against Sikkim today, and Uttarakhand on Friday, before the international schedule resumes.
Fans unable to reach the stadium can watch the action live, as the Mumbai fixtures will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network and streamed on the Jio Hotstar app. With 581 runs in 18 career Vijay Hazare matches, Rohit will be looking to add to his domestic tally while providing a rare competitive benchmark for the Sikkim bowling attack.