Team India’s senior opener Rohit Sharma looks set for a return to T20 cricket. The former India captain, who has already retired from T20 Internationals and now features only in IPL as a T20 player, may soon be seen in domestic action.
Rohit was last involved in the T20 format during IPL 2025, and he also stepped away from Test cricket after the Australia tour.
Rohit Sharma likely to feature in SMAT 2025
As per a report by Times of India, Rohit has shown interest in representing Mumbai in 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
A senior official from the Mumbai Cricket Association has confirmed his availability, indicating that Rohit could join the squad for the knockout stages, scheduled between December 12 and 18.
Rohit last played in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy back in 2007. Over his extensive T20 career, he has featured in 463 matches and amassed 12,248 runs, including 8 centuries and 82 fifties.
Rohit in red-hot form
The star batter is currently in outstanding touch. He is part of India’s ongoing ODI series against South Africa and began with a fine half-century in the opening game.
Before this, he delivered a stellar performance on the Australia tour, finishing as the Player of the Series. Earlier in the year, the BCCI had mandated that all India players must participate in domestic cricket when available, further paving the way for Rohit’s SMAT return.
Rohit’s performance so far in ODIs
Rohit Sharma’s showing in the first two ODIs of the India-South Africa 2025 series has been a mix of record-breaking brilliance and a rare early exit.
In the opening ODI in Ranchi, the Indian skipper laid foundation for India’s victory with a fluent 57 off 51 balls, smashing five fours and three sixes.
During this knock, he struck his 352nd ODI six, overtaking Shahid Afridi to become the leading six-hitter in the format’s history. Rohit also stitched together a superb 136-run stand with Virat Kohli – their 20th century partnership in ODIs, a milestone achieved by only a couple of pairs in the sport’s history.
The second ODI in Raipur, however, didn’t go his way. Rohit was dismissed for 14 off just eight deliveries, falling to a DRS-reviewed caught-behind decision that left him visibly baffled. Despite the short stay, he crossed 9,000 international runs during the match, inching further up India’s all-time scoring charts.
With the series levelled at 1–1, the spotlight now shifts to the decider in Visakhapatnam.
