Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma asked to play domestic one-dayers by BCCI: Report
New Delhi: Amid growing speculation over their ODI futures, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly asked senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to feature in domestic one-day matches if they wish to remain in contention for national selection.
“The board and team management have conveyed to both of them that they will have to play domestic cricket if they want to play for India. As they both have retired from two formats, they have to play domestic cricket to be match-fit,” The Indian Express quoted sources in the board as saying.
Both Kohli and Rohit have stepped away from Tests and T20 Internationals but continue to represent India in ODIs. The first opportunity for their domestic return could come on December 24, during the Vijay Hazare Trophy — the only one-day competition on the calendar between India’s home ODI series against South Africa and New Zealand.
According to the report, Rohit has already informed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) that he will be available to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Kohli, on the other hand, is yet to clear the status of his availability for the domestic one-day tournament.
BCCI selection committee chief Ajit Agarkar earlier emphasised that players must participate in domestic cricket whenever they are available, noting that consistent match play is essential to staying sharp, especially after extended breaks. “Whether that's possible with the international cricket you're playing or not, only time will tell, but if the guys are free, they should be playing domestic cricket," he had stated.
Kohli (37) and Rohit (38) last appeared in the ODI series in Australia last month, where they combined for a match-winning partnership in the final game. While Rohit struck a century in the third ODI, Kohli bounced back from a slow start to score an unbeaten 74.
Rohit has reportedly shown interest in featuring in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament, which begins on November 26, and has been training at Mumbai’s Sharad Pawar Indoor Academy.
Meanwhile, the Indian board is hoping to also see Kohli, who lives in London these days, playing domestic cricket.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
