Few weeks back, before the tense India-England World T20 showdown at Wankhede, Rohit Sharma strolled around the turf like a park-regular on a leisurely morning walk. He greeted teammates, met old friends, shared laughs, dispensed advice and kept answering questions about his weight.
Kuldeep Yadav got a half-hug, Suryakumar Yadav a few tips before the toss and bowling coach Morne Morkel some insight about the Mumbai’s sea breeze. Later, England coach Brendon McCullum’s weighty one-liner had him in splits. “Where’s the rest of you?” he asks the beaming star. “All gone!” and when former England captain Eoin Morgan too chimes in on the weight loss, he laughs, “I am chilling”. Rohit is in that kind of mood these days.
Probably the fittest he has been in over a decade, he seems at peace with the world around him. The angst of his curtailed Test career, the regret of losing IPL captaincy, those days of intrigue and bitterness seem like events from past life. Rohit is working towards a second wind. One event at a time – IPL now, 50-over World Cup next year.
Insiders say that this is the first time Rohit has joined the Mumbai Indians pre-season camp from Day 1. Unlike in the past, when he used to be India’s all-format player, he now has time to get into the IPL bubble early and switch on the T20 mode. Being light on is feet is further beautifying his trademark grace game. The proof is a just 15-second reel put out by MI’s social media team from a training session.
But for the full-beard and naturally-aged face, his shape seems to have shifted to the time when he was in his early 20s. The sharpness of his reflexes, the intuition to judge the length quickly and the seamless transition of weight – the traits that made him stand out as a teenager – are back.
The short social-media post captures his precise trigger movement that lesser batsmen would give all their wealth for. That tiny little back and across movement of the right foot, a measured stride up by the left-leg, that nuanced front press – this text book 1-2-3 sequence puts him in the perfect position to deal with the ball that deserves to be dispatched to the leg-side.
The 15 kgs lost – mostly around the waist – ensures the swift swirl of the torso to punish the short ball. The firm base of the feet gives authority to the shot that is hit from the middle of the bat. This is a net session shoot , there aren’t cameras to trace the trajectory of the ball. It doesn’t need to. The connection is so good that the ball is sure to land on the upper tiers of Wankhede, where MI play their first game against KKR on Sunday.
The short Rohit clip has a hazy frame of a budding MI batting star in the background. He is Naman Dhir, a smart 2024 MI buy at Rs 20 lakh. He proved he was far better than his price tag. Next year, he was retained for Rs 5 crore plus. High return of investment is expected this season, and in the years to come.
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Dhir follows that Rohit six with open-mouth awe and almost involuntarily shakes his head in disbelief. It is the kind of shot that turns a follower into a fan. “We are all Naman watching this Hitman special …. aren’t we?” – goes the caption. The comments section has a crowd of “thumbs up”.
As the first robin is said to be the harbinger of a spring, in cricket it is the full-batted Sachin Tendulkar straight drive or Virat Kohli’s special cover drive. In Rohit’s case it’s the pull that is gracefully guided from the hips to outside the boundary.
The secret of a seemingly effortless serene shot is a tranquil mind. The IPL bowlers need to be warned – Rohit isn’t just leaner this season, he is also in a calm and composed frame of mind. The closing of doors, at times, come as a boon. It kills unrealistic ambitions and unwise optimism. It helps to set achievable goals and thus reduces anxieties.
These days Rohit isn’t at crossroads, those tricky forks that tempt and come with confusing dilemmas have disappeared. The worries of his ever-dicey Test future and captaincy distractions are out of the door. Up ahead is a straight road – IPL the pit stop before the ODI World Cup.
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Those in the know say that when Rohit was at the camp, the other MI stalwarts – the Team India players -were on national duty. This was the time the natural leader in the former India captain took over. Satisfied after the hectic sessions, he would spend time with the youngsters in the team. Dhir being one of them.
Rohit is helping his franchise, a team that over the years has built a reputation of nursery of India players, continue a tradition. After MI’s Tilak Verma, Dhir could be next in the queue outside the Indian dressing room.
The 15-second clip tells you everything. A leaner Rohit pulls from the middle of the bat. Behind him, a younger man watches with his mouth open. One career finding its second wind. Another just beginning to believe what’s possible.
