In February last year, Jay Shah, then BCCI secretary, issued a stern reminder to Indian cricketers: domestic cricket is non-negotiable for those not on national duty. The directive aimed to bridge the widening gap between domestic and international cricket, with "severe implications" for those defying it. Rising stars like Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer faced the brunt of this policy, losing their central contracts for skipping domestic games without valid reasons. Yet, a glaring exception remains—the senior stalwarts of Team India.

Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Siraj have all distanced themselves from domestic cricket. Kohli's last Ranji Trophy match was over a decade ago, in 2013. The former captain hasn't played any domestic cricket since 2012, a time when Shubman Gill was in school, and Sachin Tendulkar was still on the international stage. Rohit Sharma's record isn't much better, with his last domestic appearance dating back to 2016. Siraj and Jadeja, though more recent participants, have also skipped critical matches, citing “workload management.”

The repercussions have been stark. In the past year, the absence of domestic cricket has reflected in their performances. Kohli and Rohit struggled in home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, unable to adapt to the longer format. In Australia, Rohit's series average was a dismal 6, and Kohli’s single century in Perth couldn't mask his overall inconsistency.

Critics point to a lack of red-ball match practice and overexposure to white-ball cricket as key reasons for the decline. The age factor may play a role, but these are batters of immense talent who have excelled worldwide. The bigger question remains—are they willing to shed their superstar image, return to domestic cricket, and regain their rhythm?

Domestic cricket isn't just a testing ground; it's where technique is honed and temperament forged. India's cricketing superstars need to reconnect with the grind if they want to reclaim their dominance.