Rohit Sharma Returns to Nets Ahead of Afghanistan ODI Series, Shows Positive Signs
Rohit Sharma has begun his preparations for India's upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan. The veteran opener joined the Indian camp at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali after reporting to the Centre of Excellence on June 8. His return to training has generated significant interest, especially after concerns surrounding his recent hamstring injury.
The former India captain participated in an optional training session and appeared to move freely throughout the workout. Before beginning his drills, Rohit spent some time interacting with strength and conditioning coach Adrian Le Roux. The conversation was followed by a series of warm-up exercises as he eased back into cricket-specific activities.
Rohit was then seen performing light shuttle runs alongside wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan. The pair completed multiple sets during the session, with Rohit reportedly showing no signs of discomfort. His movement and fitness levels appeared encouraging ahead of India's return to ODI cricket.
Other Indian Batters Join Optional Session
The 39-year-old later headed to the nets for an extended batting session. However, he looked slightly rusty during the initial stages. Fast-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy troubled him early and even trapped him in front of the stumps during one delivery, highlighting the challenges of returning to competitive practice after a break.
Rohit's struggles continued briefly as pacers Gurnoor Brar and Prince Yadav tested him with pace and movement. He registered a few plays and misses outside the off stump and looked tentative while defending. Even his trademark pull shot failed to come off initially, as he struggled to find the right timing against short-pitched deliveries.
As the session progressed, Rohit gradually settled into a rhythm. Arshdeep Singh was flicked confidently over mid-wicket, while Prince Yadav's attempted wide yorker was guided comfortably towards the third-man region. These shots indicated that the opener was regaining confidence and beginning to find the middle of the bat consistently.
After spending around 45 minutes facing the fast bowlers, Rohit had a brief discussion with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak. He then shifted to the spin nets to continue his preparation. The Punjab Cricket Association had arranged additional net bowlers to ensure the Indian batters received quality practice against different bowling styles.
Among the spinners Rohit faced was Harsh Dubey, but the standout moments came when he launched several straight sixes against an off-spinner. The clean hitting suggested that he was becoming increasingly comfortable as the session went on. He later wrapped up his training with a high-catching drill conducted by fielding coach T. Dilip.
One aspect that caught attention was Rohit's approach against both pacers and spinners. Unlike his usual aggressive style in ODI cricket, he did not charge down the track during the session. Whether this was a conscious decision, part of a training plan, or a precaution related to his recent hamstring issue remains unclear.
Apart from Rohit and Ishan Kishan, batters Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal also attended the optional training session. However, several players who featured in India's recent one-off Test against Afghanistan, including Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna and Washington Sundar, were absent from the practice session.