Rohit Sharma returned to international cricket with a bang amid uncertainty over his future and after being stripped off the ODI captaincy. The Hitman finished as the leading run getter in the recently-concluded IND vs AUS ODI series, which marked his first international appearance since the Champions Trophy 2025. Following his match-winning show in the 3rd ODI, Sharma reflected on how he spent his time away from international cricket to prepare for the tour and seems to have sent an indirect message to head coach Gautam Gambhir and the selectors.
Did Rohit take a dig at Gambhir?
In a video uploaded by the BCCI, Rohit said that he gave a lot of credit to how he prepared for the IND vs AUS series before his arrival to Australia for his success in the tour. He said that it was very important for him to devote time to himself primarily. Sharma stated that by doing things on his own terms and at his own time had helped him prepare well for the ODIs despite being out of action for months together.
“Since the time I started playing, I never had 4-5 months to prepare for a series. So, I wanted to utilize that and do things in my own way, on my own terms. And that actually worked out pretty well for me. Understanding what I need to do for the rest of my career, it was important to utilize that time because, like I said, I never had such time in hand. I prepared pretty well back home. Obviously, the conditions back home and here aren’t ideal. It’s a massive difference between the two countries. But I’ve come here so many times, so it was just about getting into the rhythm,” Rohit Sharma said.
Prior to the IND vs AUS series, Rohit was last seen in action in IPL 2025. He then abruptl announced his decision to retire from Tests just before the IND vs ENG series in May, giving him what was nearly a 8-month gap in international cricket. While he got out for just 8 runs in the IND vs AUS 1st ODI in Perth, he bounced back to form with a 73-run knock in Adelaide, albeit in a losing cause. It only went from good to better in the last ODI as he staed unbeaten on 121 runs to take India across the line. Overall, the Hitman finished the series with 202 runs to his name, averaging 101 and serving a timely reminder to all the selectors and naysayers that he is far from being finished.
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