New Delhi: Rohit Sharma Not skipping a practice session with Mumbai Indians In the nets on Friday afternoon at Team Arun Jaitley Stadium, he kept his head down and mostly worked on perfecting his defensive technique. He avoided playing booming hits down the ground.Rohit is 26 days short of turning 39 but he looks younger, almost unrecognizable, thanks to the 15 kg he has shed. He is clearly on a mission to prove his worth as an international-class cricketer even as he faces constant scrutiny over his place in the Indian squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup. The journey began last year with an honest discussion with the management of Mumbai Indians.
“He had a clear plan for his fitness. Some members of our set-up were involved in his training and he worked to reach a level he was comfortable with,” the Mumbai Indians head coach said. Mahila Jayawardene said on Friday.“Even though he didn’t play much competitive cricket, he did a lot of skill work in the off-season. He joined us from the first day of the camp and we discussed how to get started. We ran a lot of simulations and practice matches. For someone with experience, muscle memory and situational understanding comes a lot.”A major concern surrounding him is the lack of cricket that he plays throughout the year after retiring from Tests and T20s. He allayed those concerns with a 38-ball 78 in MI’s opening game against KKR.“Rohit’s case was a bit different as he hasn’t played much cricket. He focused on his fitness for a few months and then resumed skill work. Since he was in Mumbai, he used our facilities whenever possible but largely he knows what works best for him. He has been focused and calm and his presence has been very positive for the group.” When I saw it in my hand at very good speed, he looked at very good speed. Jayawardene said.The real test of Rohit’s stamina, ability and fitness will be the consistency of his runs in the long IPL season.
