Rohit Sharma’s leaner, quicker version was on full display at the Adelaide Oval as he pulled off a sharp turn and dive to narrowly escape a direct hit early in India’s innings.
In the third over of India’s batting in the 2nd ODI in Adelaide, a miscommunication between openers Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma almost resulted in disaster. Gill slashed Mitchell Starc towards point, where a brilliant bit of ground fielding ensured there was no run. But Rohit had already sprinted halfway down the pitch from the non-striker’s end.
Realising the danger, he turned back instantly and launched into a desperate dive as Mitchell Owen’s direct hit came crashing in. The replays showed Rohit was just inches short of being run out, but his timely dive and improved agility saved the day.
The moment exhibited Rohit’s awareness, but also his renewed physical sharpness, a result of a dedicated three-month transformation in the build-up to this series.
Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, who worked closely with Rohit Sharma, had revealed details of the fitness plan that led to the transformation before the series.
“Even I didn’t imagine that his weight would come down this much. We had tried this earlier but the consistency wasn’t there due to constant tournaments. This time, we had an uninterrupted three months,” Nayar told Star Sports.
“For the first five weeks, it was a bodybuilder’s mindset — 700-800 reps of every body part, finishing every session with 15-20 minutes of cross-fit. Six days a week, three hours a day for three months. It was non-stop,” he added.
Nayar credited Rohit’s discipline in changing his eating habits, saying the opener stayed away from indulgences and focused on staying athletic. “When your body loses weight, there’s a change in how you move and how you feel. It was a lot of hard work — from being a bodybuilder to becoming lean and athletic.”
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Rohit’s improved fitness also comes amid a crucial personal phase in his career. Having lost the ODI captaincy to Shubman Gill earlier this month, Rohit entered the Australia series under a fair bit of scrutiny and falling for just 8 in the first ODI in Perth didn’t help.
Following the incident, India lost Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli in quick succession, the later falling for his second consecutive duck in the series.
While selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir clarified that both Rohit and Virat Kohli are “not on trial” despite nearing their late 30s, the scrutiny on them hasn’t gone off and the focus is firmly on how the senior duo adapts to this new chapter as ODI specialists.
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