Rohit Sharma still not confirmed to play for Mumbai in Ranji Trophy 2024-25 second leg: Reports

Team India skipper Rohit Sharma is yet to confirm his availability for Mumbai's next Ranji Trophy clash, according to reports in PTI via India Today. The 42-time Ranji Trophy winners will lock horns with Jammu & Kashmir from January 23 onwards.

Many tipped Rohit to turn up for Mumbai against Jammu & Kashmir after he trained with the team for a couple of days. However, he is yet to assure the selectors that he will play the game.

A Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) official told PTI that they will check the players' availability before announcing the squad on January 20.

"The selectors are expected to announce the squad on January 20, during which they will follow the due process of checking for the availability of every player. Rohit will also be approached around the time for selection," the official said.

Rohit Sharma endured a poor run of form in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 against Australia. He accumulated only 31 runs across five innings in the series. Owing to his poor form, he 'stood down' from the final Test in Sydney, with Jasprit Bumrah taking over the leadership duties.

Before that, he had averaged 13.30 across 10 innings against Bangladesh and New Zealand during the 2023-24 home season.

The 37-year-old batter had a dismal 2024 in red-ball cricket, accumulating only 619 runs in 26 innings at an average of 24.76, including two centuries and fifties each.

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"Life won't change by what people with a mic, pen or laptop write or say" - Rohit Sharma refutes retirement talks

There were murmurs about his retirement when Rohit Sharma chose not to be part of India's playing XI in the fifth Test against Australia. Many former cricketers reckoned that Rohit had played his last Test in Melbourne.

However, the veteran cricketer quashed all retirement rumors, saying confidently that things will change in the coming days.

In an interview with Star Sports in the middle of the Sydney Test, Rohit said via ICC:

"I have seen a lot in cricket that life changes every second, every minute, every day. I have confidence in me that things can change, but at the same time I have to be realistic as well. So life won't change by what people with a mic, pen or laptop write or say."

"They can't decide when we should retire, when we should sit out, when we should captain. I am a sensible man, mature man, father of two kids. So I know what I need in life," he added.

Rohit Sharma is expected to lead Team India in the three-match ODI series against England ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy, which starts next month.