Mumbai's chief selector, Sanjay Patil, expressed his frustration towards Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal regarding their performances in the recent Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir at the MCA Ground in Mumbai. He questioned their commitment after both players opted to participate despite the BCCI's new directive for all contracted players. Patil also issued a caution to Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube, who have been included in the Mumbai squad for the upcoming quarter-final against Haryana, scheduled to commence on February 8.

As the defending champions, Mumbai faced challenges in advancing to the quarter-finals after an unexpected loss to Jammu and Kashmir, even with a lineup that included six players from the national team. Rohit continued to struggle in red-ball cricket, scoring 3 and 28, while Jaiswal contributed 4 and 26. Other notable players in the XI included Shreyas Iyer, Dube, Shardul Thakur, and Ajinkya Rahane.

Nevertheless, following a victory against Meghalaya and with Baroda losing points to Jammu and Kashmir, Mumbai secured the second position in the group, thereby qualifying for the quarter-finals.

'To accommodate India players, we deprived...'

In an interview with the Times of India, Patil issued a firm admonition to Suryakumar and Dube, urging them not to participate in the Ranji Trophy merely due to the BCCI's requirements, but to deliver an impressive performance. Expressing his disappointment over Mumbai's 'worst ever' defeat to Jammu and Kashmir, he lamented the necessity of sidelining Ayush Mhatre from the opening position to accommodate Rohit and Jaiswal, despite Mhatre's outstanding season, which included 413 runs, featuring two centuries and a half-century.

He stated: “I am unequivocal on this matter. Our loss to J&K, despite having six Indian players in our squad, was particularly disheartening. I expect both SKY and Dube to not only take part in this Ranji Trophy knockout match but also to excel and help secure a victory for Mumbai.

"I remain troubled by the defeat against J&K, which I consider our most significant loss. To make room for the Indian players in that match, we had to forgo the contributions of several promising young talents.

"Mumbai requires players who can deliver results and lead the team to victory, a quality that was evidently lacking in that match. The Indian players must understand that it is not sufficient to simply be 'available' for the game. The ethos of Mumbai cricket has always emphasized giving your utmost effort when representing Mumbai.”

Rohit and Jaiswal participated in only one match for Mumbai before departing for Nagpur for the ODI series against England.

Read Also: ISPL: Where Passion Meets Professionalism in Tennis-Ball Cricket

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!