Former India captain Rohit Sharma, who retired from T20 Internationals after the 2024 World Cup and stepped away from Test cricket in May, is reportedly set to play in the knockout stages of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025. According to The Times of India, Rohit has expressed his desire to represent Mumbai despite stepping away from international T20s.
Strong Form Ahead of Knockouts
The 38-year-old opener, currently featuring in India’s ODI series against South Africa, has been in excellent form since his international return in Australia, scoring two fifties and one century. Mumbai topped their Elite Group A with 16 points, winning all four league matches in Lucknow, and are now gearing up for the knockout stage in Indore from December 12-18.
BCCI’s Domestic Rules Influence Participation
Rohit’s potential return aligns with BCCI’s mandate requiring all Indian players to participate in domestic cricket when not on national duty or recovering from injury. A senior official from the Mumbai Cricket Association confirmed that Rohit is likely to join the squad for the knockout games, marking a return to domestic T20 cricket after nearly 18 years.
Rohit’s T20 Legacy
Over his illustrious T20 career, Rohit has played 463 matches, scoring 12,248 runs with 8 centuries and 82 fifties. He last appeared in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2007 and remains one of India’s most prolific T20 batters, also boasting 4,231 T20I runs and 11,427 ODI runs. Maybe fans could soon see the former India captain back in action in domestic T20 cricket, keeping alive his T20 journey beyond the IPL.
