The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made it compulsory for Indian cricketers to play domestic tournaments when they are not on international duty. The rule, introduced last year, has already seen Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma appear in the Ranji Trophy. Reports suggest Rohit could also feature for India A against Australia A in the one-dayers before the upcoming white-ball tour.
Pujara On Raising Standards
Cheteshwar Pujara, who retired recently, backed the move. He believes the presence of senior players lifts the quality of domestic cricket.
“Playing domestic cricket raises the standard. When top players take part, youngsters feel motivated and get to learn. Workload needs to be managed, but playing one or two games before a Test series can help. For batsmen, the more matches they play, the better,” Pujara said.
Workload Balance For Bowlers
Pujara admitted the case is different for bowlers. He pointed out that Jasprit Bumrah cannot be expected to play domestic cricket regularly due to workload issues.
“But for young fast bowlers, red-ball cricket is vital. They should play as many games as possible. The team management and NCA coaches must prepare a clear plan for each player,” he added.
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