Rohit Sharma Vijay Hazare Trophy return Stuns Fans With Lightning Century

Jaipur: Rohit Sharma made a sensational return to domestic cricket, delivering a commanding century in just 62 deliveries against Sikkim during Mumbai’s Vijay Hazare Trophy clash in Jaipur on Wednesday. Playing his first match in the tournament after a gap of seven years, the Indian batting icon turned the chase of a modest 236-run target into a one-sided spectacle, showcasing his trademark strokeplay with effortless authority.

Chasing the total, Rohit began steadily before shifting gears with a barrage of boundaries, mixing elegance with brute force. The knock brought him closer to the elite milestone of 14,000 List A runs and marked his 37th List A hundred overall. Of those, four centuries have come in domestic cricket, complementing the 33 he has scored while representing India at the international level.

The atmosphere at Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium built gradually before Rohit walked out to bat. As anticipation grew, so did the crowd size, eventually swelling well beyond the initially open stand. Once Rohit launched his first six picking up a length delivery from Kranthi Kumar and depositing it deep into the stands the noise level soared. With additional stands opened to accommodate fans, estimates suggested the crowd crossed the 10,000 mark, reflecting the pull Rohit continues to command even in domestic cricket.

Rohit Sharma Vijay Hazare Trophy Return Sparks Massive Crowd Interest

This century holds particular significance as it is only Rohit Sharma’s second List A hundred for Mumbai, coming 17 years after his debut in the tournament. The Vijay Hazare Trophy, formerly known as the Ranji Trophy One Day competition before its rebranding in 2008, has been a stage where Rohit has appeared sparingly despite his long List A career.

Across 19 seasons, Rohit has featured in just 19 Vijay Hazare Trophy matches for Mumbai. His previous appearance came in 2018, soon after leading India to an Asia Cup triumph. During that campaign, he played in the quarter-final and semi-final against Bihar and Hyderabad, helping Mumbai secure comfortable victories. Although he scored only 49 runs across those two matches, he remained unbeaten on 32 against Bihar, underlining his finishing role at the time.

Rohit Sharma Vijay Hazare Trophy Return Highlights Form Ahead of World Cup Dreams

Now 38, Rohit Sharma is focusing exclusively on the ODI format and appears determined to make one final push for World Cup glory. With the next ICC Cricket World Cup scheduled to be hosted across South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe in two years, questions surrounding his form have largely been put to rest.

Since the Australia ODI series, Rohit has registered three scores of fifty or more in his last four innings. These include a match-winning unbeaten 121 in the third ODI in Sydney and two fluent half-centuries during India’s 2–1 home series victory over South Africa. His domestic hundred further reinforces the notion that his batting rhythm remains intact.

Rohit’s innings in Jaipur extended well beyond his century, as he raced to 150 in just 91 balls. The knock was decorated with 18 fours and nine towering sixes, struck cleanly to all parts of the ground. Known for producing monumental scores during the peak of his ODI career, the Mumbai stalwart once again demonstrated his ability to dominate bowling attacks with ease.

As Mumbai cruised to victory, Rohit’s performance not only sealed the result but also sent a clear message ahead of the international calendar. His bat, it seems, is far from slowing down.