<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thursday&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/article/ranji-trophy-2024-25-rohit-is-hungry-and-determined-to-do-well-ajinkya-rahane-23470036" target="_blank" rel="none noopener"><strong>Ranji Trophy</strong></a> showdown here wasn&rsquo;t just another humdrum domestic fixture. It was the stage for the much-hyped return of India&rsquo;s ODI and Test captain, Rohit Sharma, after a nearly decade-long absence. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If there were any doubts about <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/article/ranji-trophy-2024-25-rohit-is-hungry-and-determined-to-do-well-ajinkya-rahane-23470036" target="_blank" rel="none noopener"><strong>Ranji cricket</strong></a>&rsquo;s ability to draw a crowd, they were quashed as fans flocked to Mumbai&rsquo;s BKC Ground, determined to witness the Hitman&rsquo;s revival tour.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rohit&rsquo;s arrival at the crease was greeted with cheers, whistles, and a palpable sense of anticipation. Here was a man tasked with reclaiming form ahead of the Champions Trophy, and the crowd expected nothing short of a masterpiece. Unfortunately, their cheers turned to groans within just 19 deliveries. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 37-year-old captain departed for a paltry three runs, undone by a leading edge that lobbed tamely into the hands of J&amp;K skipper Paras Dogra at mid-off.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For someone of Rohit&rsquo;s caliber, the dismissal was hardly befitting. It was a fairly ordinary delivery from Umar Nazir that Rohit, in his attempt to force the ball to the on-side, managed to botch spectacularly.</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="qme"><a href="https://twitter.com/itsmihir412?ref_src=twsrc-Etfw">@itsmihir412</a> <a href="https://t.co/PXawxTr7Wi">pic.twitter.com/PXawxTr7Wi</a></p>
&mdash; stuud (@stuud18) <a href="https://twitter.com/stuud18/status/1882285838329123064?ref_src=twsrc-Etfw">January 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The crowd, once brimming with optimism, collectively deflated. Fans who had come hoping to see a classic Rohit pull shot or an elegant cover drive were left with just a 19-ball cameo and a nagging sense of disappointment. Those who had been sneakily watching from their office windows or nearby terraces quickly abandoned the spectacle.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adding to the misery was the fact that Rohit wasn&rsquo;t the only one to falter. His young opening partner, <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/article/india-openers-rohit-sharma-and-yashasvi-jaiswal-face-early-exit-in-ranji-trophy-23470236" target="_blank" rel="none noopener"><strong>Yashasvi Jaiswal</strong></a>, often touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket, managed just four runs. Jaiswal&rsquo;s stay was cut short by J&amp;K&rsquo;s Auqib Nabi, who made excellent use of the fresh pitch and the new ball to trap the southpaw plumb in front. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With both openers back in the pavilion and a dismal scoreboard staring at them, Mumbai&rsquo;s innings had started with a whimper rather than a roar.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What was supposed to be a grand homecoming for Rohit turned into a tepid affair that failed to live up to its billing.</span></p><p>
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The 37-year-old captain departed for a paltry three runs, undone by a leading edge that lobbed tamely into the hands of J&K skipper Paras Dogra at mid-off

Rohit Sharma’s Ranji return turns sour

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