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Rohit Sharma reached his century in just 62 balls on Wednesday afternoon. Virat Kohli took 84 balls to get there but he was up against a slightly stronger and more experienced bowling attack. The long-awaited comeback of the famous duo in the Vijay Hazare Trophy was a huge success a day when batting records were broken especially by the young Vaibhav Suryavanshi. At just 14 he became the youngest player to score a century in List A cricket. Suryavanshi who already has three T20 hundreds is seen as a big talent for the future. Meanwhile Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli showed they are still in top form scoring plenty of runs against Sikkim and Andhra. Rohit Sharmas popularity was clear as over 10000 fans packed the Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur Rohit Sharma’s popularity was clear as over 10000 fans packed the Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur to watch him play. The Sikkim bowlers likely more excited to see him than compete didn’t mind getting hit all over the field by one of the best white-ball batters ever. Andhra’s bowlers didnt have the same experience but they were taught a lesson by Virat Kohli the master of chasing runs in front of no crowd at the Centre of Excellence ground near Bengaluru after the matches were moved from the M Chinnaswamy Stadium at the last minute. The huge excitement for Rohit and what would surely have happened for Kohli if his match was at an easy-to-reach stadium shows that domestic cricket needs big stars to attract attention. Without them the games mostly go unnoticed watched only by a few people even though these matches are what build India’s strength in international cricket. BCCI hadnt required all available international players Rohit and Kohli might not have played for Mumbai and Delhi if the BCCI hadnt required all available international players (except Jasprit Bumrah) to play at least two matches in the Hazare Trophy before the limited-overs series against New Zealand in January. On paper this rule makes sense because it ensures top players dont avoid representing their states as many have in the past. But what real benefit will Rohit and Kohli get from playing against bowlers who respectfully are far below the level they face in international cricket? On easy pitches against weaker bowlers how much will these matches really help them improve? One big challenge for this top duo is finding the drive to play these matches. Kohli for example always gives 100 per cent in competitive games. Practice matches on tours havent motivated him which is why he usually avoids them. This doesnt mean they are too good for domestic cricket it just means they need more than just runs records and centuries to stay motivated. At this point in their careers they benefit from challenges that test their skills. On easy pitches against weaker bowlers how much will these matches really help them improve? The truth is that playing actual matches is much more valuable than spending hours in the nets The truth is that playing actual matches is much more valuable than spending hours in the nets even against top bowlers. This was clear in Australia in October when Kohli showed signs of rust from not playing competitively since early June; it took him a couple of innings (even though he didn’t score much) to adjust back to international cricket. Rohit and Kohli have been in great form in ODIs recently. Rohit was Player of the Series in the 1-2 loss in Australia and Kohli earned the same award in the 2-1 win over South Africa scoring two centuries and an unbeaten fifty in three innings. If the rule is meant to treat all players the same (with Bumrah as the only exception which makes sense) that’s fine. But everyone agrees there should be a clear reason behind it. For one-day internationals Rohit and Kohli might not have the next 50-over World Cup nearly two years away as their immediate focus. If that’s the goal they would benefit more from playing domestic 50-over tournaments abroad to stay competitive when not playing for India rather than making forced appearances at home. After all these are experienced proud and successful former captains who set high standards for themselves. It might be better not to treat them the same as other players.