Rohit Sharma’s coach and longtime friend, Abhishek Nayar, was seen urging fans to give space to the former India captain as he exited Shivaji Park following a practice session, preparing for India’s upcoming three-match ODI series in Australia.
Rohit is set to return to competitive cricket after more than four months, having been named in India’s squad for the series. However, the team’s captaincy has been handed over to Shubman Gill. In videos that have gone viral on social media, Abhishek Nayar can be heard asking the crowd:
“Please don’t push, he might get hurt. We are all fans, but make sure he stays safe,” drawing cheers from the onlookers.
He continued urging the fans to give Rohit Sharma enough space as the former captain walked out of the gate and made his way to his vehicle.
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The change in ODI captaincy brought an end to Rohit Sharma’s tenure as captain in all formats. He had retired from T20 Internationals last year after leading India to the 2024 T20 World Cup and stepped away from Test cricket in May this year. Additionally, he was succeeded by Hardik Pandya as captain of the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League ahead of the 2024 season.
How Rohit Sharma Is Getting Ready For The Australia Series
Since August, Rohit Sharma has been training with Abhishek Nayar after taking a long break following the Champions Trophy, which turned out to be his final assignment as India’s ODI captain. He had also earned the player of the match award as India lifted the trophy.
The 38-year-old had also been seen in the stands during India’s thrilling fifth and final Test against England at The Oval, a match India won against the odds to draw the series 2-2. Both Rohit and fellow veteran Virat Kohli have been named in India’s squad for the upcoming Australia series.
However, chief selector Ajit Agarkar has noted that they will need to participate in domestic cricket to remain in contention for the 2027 World Cup. Currently, both players are active only in ODIs, having retired from T20Is and Tests last year and this year, respectively.
The ODI series marks the first leg of India’s white-ball tour of Australia. The matches are scheduled as follows: the first ODI in Perth on October 19, the second in Adelaide on October 23, and the third in Sydney on October 25. This will be followed by a five-match T20I series from October 29 to November 8.
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