Mumbai, Aug 14: India’s ODI captain Rohit Sharma has resumed training at a suburban Mumbai facility with former national assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, even as discussions grow over a possible “youth-only” policy in the 50-over format.
Rohit had taken a break from cricket after the IPL, missing the Test series in England following his retirement from the longest format. He spent time on a family holiday in England before returning last week. On Tuesday, he shared an Instagram story from a gym session with Nayar, his close friend and occasional personal coach.
Nayar, who has worked with players like Dinesh Karthik, KL Rahul, Rinku Singh, and Angkrish Raghuvanshi, is credited for helping Rahul prepare for the recent England Tests, where he scored 532 runs.
The training session signals that Rohit, 37, is not ready to step aside yet and still hopes to play in the 2027 ODI World Cup, 26 months away. However, team management discussions suggest a farewell series for him, possibly against Australia, with Shubman Gill tipped as the next ODI captain.
Rohit is an ODI great, with 32 centuries — the third-highest in history after Virat Kohli (51) and Sachin Tendulkar (49). He was also Player of the Match in the Champions Trophy final against New Zealand.
The selection committee’s and BCCI leadership’s decisions in the coming months will determine whether Rohit leads India into another World Cup or passes the baton to the next generation.