Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and other international cricketers playing domestic cricket have caught the attention of many, given how BCCI has started making domestic cricket necessary. However, the domestic cricket was equally important even though the purpose was often different. The cricketers used to feature in the domestic cricket either when their form dipped or when they were supposedly recovering from an injury, which is totally different in the case of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the VHT 2025-26. The two stalwarts, currently playing only the ODI format, have been the top run getters for India in this format. However, this is not the first time fans are witnessing greats in their domestic jerseys. Several interanational stars for whatever reason, have represented their state. Here we have enlisted five players who have played for their states after enjoying their peak in international cricket. 1 | Sachin Tendulkar The Indian God of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, was never dropped from the Indian side despite his dip in form in the early 2000s. In the time between 2005-2007, he was suffering from a century drought and a form dip, due to which he received massive criticisms. When his international runs dried up ahead of the England series in 2012, he opted to return to the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai to work on his batting basics, scoring a century to boost confidence and form. It was a strategic move by him to restore touch and rhythm after slow patches in international matches. Tendulkar’s willingness to play domestic cricket even after years at the top showed his passion for the game and commitment to performance at all levels. Read alos: Watch: BCCI Uploads Virat Kohli’s Century Highlights from Vijay Hazare Trophy 2 | Sourav Ganguly Sourav Ganguly's tenure is remembered for one of the nastiest captain-coach disputes, a reason behind him getting dropped from the side, if not his lack of form being the only reason. It had really hurt his pride, which he even mentioned in his autobiography. After enjoying early success in the late 1990s and early 2000s, his relationship with coach Greg Chappell and a dip in form led to him being dropped from the Indian team around 2005–06. This was controversial, with many fans feeling he was treated unfairly. Following his exclusion, Ganguly worked on his game outside the international spotlight and dominated in other matches. He was recalled to the Test team in late 2006 and registered crucial performances, including helping India to their first Test win in South Africa. He then returned to the ODI side, scoring a match‑winning 98 in his first game back, proving his resilience and class. 3 | Mohinder Amarnath Mohinder Amarnath is widely regarded as Indian cricket’s true “comeback king.” After making his debut in 1969, he struggled to cement his place and was repeatedly dropped from the national side due to inconsistent form. Instead of fading away, Amarnath worked hard in domestic cricket and capitalized on second chances when they came. His career‑defining period came in the 1982–83 tour of Pakistan, where he excelled with both bat and ball, earning joint Player of the Series honours. Over his long international journey, he continually fought his way back into the Indian team whenever dropped, making his domestic performances impossible for selectors to ignore. 4 | MS Dhoni The former Indian captain MS Dhoni, however, willingly played the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2015-2016 and later in 2017 too. It was notably during the latter half of his captaincy tenure. He has already retired from Test cricket and was trying to keep up his form in short format. He last represented his state team, Jharkhand, in 2004 in the Ranji Trophy and in 2007 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He returned to domestic cricket after 8 years and also hit his first List A century in 2017. The most beautiful part of his return was that, unlike most star cricketers, he took the normal train, traveling with his teammates. 5 | Zaheer Khan Zaheer Khan’s career had a classic “drop and return” pattern built around form, fitness, and opportunity. After establishing himself as a premier Indian left‑arm fast bowler, he went through a lean patch around 2004–05 and lost his place in the national side due to reduced effectiveness and fitness concerns. Determined to fight back, Zaheer took the county cricket route in England (Worcestershire), bowling long spells and regaining rhythm, confidence, and consistent performance — including multiple match‑impacting spells. His success overseas convinced selectors to bring him back into the Indian setup around 2006–07, and he returned with renewed vigour, eventually becoming a key leader of India’s pace attack. Zaheer’s comeback helped India rise to the top of Test rankings and made him one of the most effective bowlers of his era.