IND vs AUS: “Lot of credit to the way I prepped”- Rohit Sharma reflects on five-month break helping him rediscover his form

Rohit Sharma made 202 runs in three ODIs, winning the Player of the Series award.

It is undeniable that former Indian Cricket Team captain Rohit Sharma has his sights set on ICC Cricket World Cup 2027. The 38-year-old had a successful comeback to international cricket, taking home the Player of the Series trophy in a just-finished ODI series in Australia.  

Days after striking 73 off 97 deliveries in the second ODI in Adelaide, he scored a game-winning 121 not out in the series decider in Sydney. Just months after benching himself from the fifth test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024–25 at the same location in Sydney, Rohit was crowned Player of the Series for his performances.

During the time since the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 ended and the Australia ODI series began, Rohit Sharma worked extensively on his fitness along with ex-India player and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar. He shed 11 kgs, which helped him sprint between the wickets with ease and keep pace with Virat Kohli, with whom he shared a 168-run partnership in Sydney on Saturday.

“I got a lot of time in my hand, and so I utilised that”- Rohit Sharma on his prep before the Australia series

Rohit Sharma credited the 5-month break for his brilliant comeback in international cricket. He went on to say that the break let him think about what he needed to do to keep his motivation alive. The time off also allowed him to spend time with his family, which he characterized as a welcome respite.

“Since the time I started playing, I never had four to five months to prepare for a series, so I wanted to utilize that. I wanted to do things in my own way, on my own terms, and that actually worked out well for me, understanding what I need to do for the rest of my career.

It was important to utilise that time because, like I said, I never had so much time, and I prepared well back home. There are differences between conditions here and back home, but I have come here so many times, so it was just about getting into that rhythm,” Rohit said in a conversation with BCCI.

“So, I give a lot of credit to the way I prepped before coming here, giving a lot of time to myself first. That was very important because sometimes you need to understand that there is so much to do in life besides what you do professionally. But I got a lot of time on my hands, and so I utilised that,” he added

He also talked about his 168-run unbeaten partnership with Virat Kohli in India’s SCG ODI win. Supporters from both India and Australia packed the stands, brandishing placards and donning masks of the two batters. The crowd’s shared admiration for Rohit and Kohli crossed national boundaries as they recognized their contributions to the sport.

“Fantastic partnership (with Kohli) after a long, long time. I think we have not had a 100-run partnership for a long time. It was good to get that partnership from a team’s perspective, looking at how we were placed at one point,” he said.

This was Rohit Sharma’s final appearance in an international match in Australia as he bid goodbye to Sydney in an emotional post on Instagram.

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