Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar noted that Rohit Sharma’s recent fitness transformation echoes the changes he made after being left out of India’s 2011 ODI World Cup squad. The 38-year-old, who began his white-ball career in 2007, faced disappointment after narrowly missing out on the World Cup team, which sparked a major improvement in both his fitness and performances.
More recently, Rohit stepped down from the ODI captaincy ahead of the upcoming Australia tour, following his retirement from Test cricket a few months ago. Nevertheless, the former skipper appeared in excellent shape at a recent awards ceremony in Mumbai, gearing up for the ODI series in Australia. Commenting on Rohit’s fitness makeover, Bangar told Star Sports:
“The last time Rohit Sharma followed such a strict fitness regimen was after he missed out on the 2011 World Cup. That exclusion left a deep wound in his heart, and I think we’re seeing a similar level of determination from him now. From 2012 to 2024, he’s had a wonderful and successful career, but being called out for his fitness has clearly stayed with him, and he has worked hard to address it.”
“Rohit Appears Fully Geared Up For The Challenge” – Sanjay Bangar
Sanjay Bangar feels that stepping down from the captaincy will allow Rohit Sharma to take on more fielding responsibilities, a task his improved fitness is well-suited for. The 38-year-old has an outstanding ODI career, amassing over 11,000 runs in 273 matches at an average of 48.76 and a strike rate of 92.80. His captaincy record in ODIs is also remarkable, guiding India to 42 wins in 56 games.
“It’s visible in his preparation and his mindset. It’s great to see Rohit Sharma hungry and fit once again. Not being the captain, you don’t always have the luxury of fielding inside the 30-yard circle; sometimes you need to patrol the outfield, dive around, and contribute as a fielder too. Rohit seems to be preparing himself completely for that challenge, and that’s a very positive sign,” said Bangar (via the aforementioned source).
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