Mumbai: India captain Rohit Sharma confirmed on Saturday that he will be available for Mumbai's next Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir, but emphasized the importance of taking time off given the hectic international cricket calendar.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, he acknowledged the toll of continuous international commitments, stating, “In the last 6-7 years, there haven’t been many times when players in the senior squad have had any time. When you play so much international cricket throughout the years, you need some time off as well. Nobody takes it for granted.”

The remarks come after criticism directed at players for not participating in domestic cricket, particularly amid the busy international schedules.

Despite struggling in Tests, with just one fifty in his last 15 innings, the 37-year-old Rohit has ruled out retiring from the format. He trained with the Mumbai squad at Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday ahead of the second phase of the Ranji Trophy.

Rohit was dropped for the final Test against Australia in Sydney, following a series of disappointing performances both as an opener and in the middle order.

At the same press conference, Rohit and chief selector Ajit Agarkar announced the squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy and the three-match ODI series against England.

Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, S Gill (VC), S Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, M Shami, Arshdeep, Y Jaiswal, R Pant and R Jadeja.

India’s next challenge is the ICC Champions Trophy, which will take place from February 19 to March 9, hosted by Pakistan and the UAE. The tournament will feature eight teams, including India, and will be played across venues in Pakistan and Dubai. India’s opening match will be against Bangladesh on February 20, with a high-profile encounter against Pakistan set for February 23.

Before the Champions Trophy, India will face England in a three-match ODI series, starting on February 6, followed by a five-match T20I series beginning January 22. The T20Is will be played across multiple cities, including Kolkata, Chennai, Rajkot, Pune, and Mumbai.