Rohit Sharma to play for Mumbai in Vijay Hazare Trophy after Sri Lanka ODIs
Rohit Sharma is set to turn out for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in December after India’s three-match home ODI series against Sri Lanka, which is scheduled from December 13 to 19. The former India captain informed the Mumbai Cricket Association of his availability for the domestic 50-over competition, The Indian Express reported.
The move is part of an effort to give senior players more opportunities in domestic cricket ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. The Vijay Hazare Trophy league stage begins on December 14 and runs until December 29, meaning the 38-year-old could be available for the latter part of the group stage; the knockout matches are scheduled from January 2 to 8.
An MCA source provided confirmation but said Rohit’s exact playing schedule had not been finalised. "He has informed us that he will be playing for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and to consider him available after India's three-ODI series against Sri Lanka at home. How many matches he will be available for, he will inform us later."
This will be Rohit’s second consecutive appearance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy after his return to the competition last season for the first time since 2018. He featured in two matches for Mumbai in Jaipur during that campaign.
In his first outing last season Rohit scored 155 off 94 deliveries against Sikkim; two days later he was dismissed for a golden duck against Uttarakhand. Those two appearances produced both a high-scoring innings and a failure, underlining the value of match practice in the 50-over format.
Before any domestic action, Rohit is next set to feature in India’s five-match ODI series against New Zealand beginning November 4 in Auckland. He has already resumed preparations, returning to the nets alongside Virat Kohli ahead of that series.
The New Zealand assignment and the subsequent domestic appearances with Mumbai are scheduled steps in Rohit’s lead-up to the 2027 ODI World Cup preparations, while the MCA awaits confirmation of how many Vijay Hazare matches he will play.
