Defending ranji

The Mumbai Cricket Association: India captain Rohit Sharma has joined Mumbai's squad for training sessions ahead of the second phase of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, which begins on January 23. The team held a two-hour center-wicket practice session at Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday and is set to continue training throughout the week in preparation for their sixth-round home match against Jammu and Kashmir.

Rohit had a struggling run with the bat in India's 1-3 loss at the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia. India not only failed to retain the trophy for the first time in a decade but also lost a third consecutive spot in the World Test Championship final.

Rohit, who missed the first Test of the series due to the birth of his second child, failed to score beyond 10 runs in the five innings before opting to rest in the fifth Test at Sydney Cricket Ground. He accumulated only 31 runs in the series and came under public scrutiny for his substandard outings.