The India National Cricket Team is already in New Zealand playing the five-match T20I series. The Men in Blue have already won two of the five. Next up will be the three-match ODI series ahead of the 50-over format. Former India captain Rohit Sharma is preparing for the series in New Zealand, having started training in Mumbai.
The Men in Blue won their last ODI series against West Indies, but the bowling has not been at its very best; the inexperienced bowling attack has been smacked all around the park. There has been criticism over not playing any senior bowlers in the ODI format, despite bowling well in the domestic formats. India has the firepower in the batting, but not in the bowling.
Rohit Sharma starts training at BKC
As per the visual shared by senior Times of India journalist Gaurav Gupta, it is seen that Rohit Sharma has been training at the Mumbai Cricket Association Ground, in BKC and has also met his Mumbai teammates ahead of the training at the Ranji Trophy game. Rohit only plays one format and was last seen in the three-match ODI series against the Windies.
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Rohit Sharma was in good form in the series against the Windies as he scored a hundred and 92 in the three-match series, and finished off the series with a total of 225 runs. The opener has looked in great shape and has been taking his time before taking on the role of the aggressor in the middle overs.
Rohit Sharma’s recent form
The 39-year-old showcased his dedication and determination to play in the ODI World Cup 2027, as there were speculations about him being non-committal about playing in the major tournament next year. However, Rohit has been in fine form and has been scoring since 2025; till now, Rohit has scored 1,254 runs in the format in 26 innings.
Rohit Sharma has an average of 50.14 in the format since 2025 till now. He has scored four centuries and 6 half-centuries, which answers all his critics who have doubted him because of his age and form. The former captain would look to continue his form in the Island country, as it is a tough challenge to play in New Zealand, where the ball does swing and seam.
India manages player workload in between ODIs and Tests
Coming to the ODI series, India has announced two different squads for the series: for the first three games, Shubman Gill will remain as the captain, and for the last two matches, Shreyas Iyer will take over. There is a very short span of time between the ODI series and the two-match Test series; some senior players have also been taken out of the final two games.
This is a busy schedule for the Men in Blue as they will get just four days after the ODI series to prepare for the Test series; that is the reason they have pulled out key players like Gill and KL Rahul, the captain and the vice-captain of the Test side will be crucial given their form and experience.
Source: cricketaddictor.com
