After a tough series loss at home to New Zealand and a rough time in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, many of India's Test players jumped back into action during the final rounds of the Ranji Trophy with their domestic teams. This came after the BCCI set a new rule for players to keep their red-ball skills sharp by playing in domestic matches.

Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar believes there's more to this decision than just fulfilling the BCCI's requirements. In his column for Mid-day, he mentioned that the participation of stars like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant brought a fresh vibe to the National Championship.

Rohit and Kohli didn’t have the best performances, which added to the pressure given their recent struggles. Still, Gavaskar found a positive angle in this scenario.

“Even if they didn’t shine in the tournament, just having them around would have energized both their teammates and opponents,” Gavaskar noted. "Spending time with them offers teammates valuable insights into achieving success in their own careers."

He added, “Think about the boost for players who took wickets against Jaiswal, Sharma, Kohli, and Rahul. They’ll be fired up to face other batters, knowing they’ve dismissed some of India’s top players.” Himanshu Sangwan, who bowled a stunning delivery to get Kohli out while playing for Railways, gained national attention for that impressive moment.

‘Even if just a small number of those who showed up to watch feel inspired...’

Kohli's presence helped Delhi secure a win against Railways, but they still couldn't make it to the knockout rounds. On the other hand, Mumbai faced a loss against Jammu and Kashmir, even with Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal in the lineup. However, they bounced back in their next match to secure qualification.

“It was fantastic to see so many young fans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium for the Ranji Trophy match. They were definitely there to see Virat Kohli, and that’s the magic of star power,” Gavaskar remarked. “If even a few of those kids leave inspired by the excitement and go on to achieve great things in their lives, that would be amazing.”

Looking back at Mumbai's match against J&K at the BKC Ground, Gavaskar noted, “It was great to see Rohit Sharma playing in Mumbai's Ranji Trophy game earlier this week.”

“Since Mumbai is such a busy city, not many could find the time to catch the game. But if they were fans of Mumbai, it might have been a blessing in disguise that they missed it, as Jammu and Kashmir handed the defending champions a solid defeat, which is tough for any Mumbai supporter to watch.”

Now, all eyes will shift to the ODI series, kicking off with three matches in Nagpur, leading up to the crucial ICC Champions Trophy.

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