Despite the presence of youthful and up-and-coming talents, Rohit Sharma remained the box office major attraction on Wednesday when he joined India’s white-ball nets in Mohali.
Even before the Indian team bus arrived at the IS Bindra Stadium complex this evening, the suspense had started. Following his previous layoff, there was conjecture regarding his level of fitness; nevertheless, it was revealed on Tuesday that the seasoned opener had obtained the necessary clearance.
However, it became clear where the spotlight would unavoidably land when the Indian team gathered for training.
Shreyas Iyer, the recently appointed T20 skipper, was present. Yashasvi Jaiswal, a batting sensation, was present. Youngsters Gurnoor Brar, Prince Yadav, and Harsh Dubey diligently went through their daily rituals. However, the 39-year-old Mumbaikar is still in the spotlight as he enters a training facility.
Away from the batting nets, Rohit’s session got underway. Adrian Le Roux, his strength and conditioning coach, spoke with him for a few minutes before easing into a series of mild shuttle sprints.
Rohit finished almost five sets while Ishan Kishan remained by his side during the drills. No obvious discomfort was present. After the recent worries about his fitness, there was no indication that the body was complaining.
But as he padded up, the suspense really began to build. He rotated between the spinners’ enclosure and the fast bowlers’ nets for the next hour, with every move being attentively watched.
Coaches observed. Teammates looked at each other. Every stroke and every miss was monitored by the few observers in attendance. For a batter making a comeback after a break, the first indications were expected. He appeared scratchy, looking more for judgment and time than for boundaries.
With an in-cutter first up, Nitish Kumar Reddy dealt him an early punch, trapping him plumb in front. Anyone who has witnessed elite batters find rhythm will recognize the scenario that followed. He left a couple of deliveries from Prince Yadav and Gurnoor Brar. There were a few play-and-miss moments and hesitant pushes.
Defensive prods in the direction of the cover area gradually started to find the midsection of the bat. There was no need to control the proceedings. Rebuilding sensation and rhythm seemed to be the main goal, as was letting muscle memory return organically rather than pushing it.
Soon after, the first indications of aggression appeared. With a signature flip, an Arshdeep Singh delivery vanished over deep mid-wicket. Then Prince tried a wide yorker, but Rohit used a cheeky steer to open the face and steer it away.
There were still flaws. The outside edge was beaten by a couple deliveries. Rohit tried the pull shot after Gurnoor hammered one short, but it did not go as smoothly as he would have liked. However, the session’s progression was apparent.
The fluidity had significantly improved by the time he switched to the spinners’ nets. He hit a series of consecutive, almost effortless sixes against an off-break net bowler, the kind of hits that have characterized his batting for almost 20 years.
It will become more apparent in the next few days exactly where he stands. Even if the cricket community is still debating whether Rohit is under pressure, discussions like this are unavoidable for a player of his caliber, especially at this point in his illustrious career.
Rohit’s contest seems to be more about personal standards than external scrutiny after nearly two decades in international cricket. The external questions don’t change. The challenge he sets for himself is what really counts. There were no conclusive answers during Wednesday’s net session. It wasn’t supposed to. It did, however, provide a glimpse of a successful hitter methodically regaining rhythm.
