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After losing 11kg, Rohit Sharma eyes more weight loss before South Africa ODIs, gives up favourite meal
Rohit Sharma was named the Player of the Series after scores of 73 and 121* against Australia in the last two ODIs.
Rohit Sharma may have been out of competitive cricket from June to mid-October, but his performances in the recent ODI series in Australia proved he was never out of touch. A fighting 73 in Adelaide followed by a 121* in Sydney reflected the hours of preparation he put in behind the scenes, including a major fitness transformation. Former India batting coach and Rohit’s longtime friend, Abhishek Nayar, revealed the 38-year-old’s weight-loss journey might continue ahead of India’s next ODI series at home.
At the start of September, when Rohit first appeared publicly since IPL 2025 in May, he looked almost unrecognisable. He looked leaner and fitter than ever, when he stepped out of his car at Bengaluru's Centre of Excellence (CoE), where some of the Indian players had assembled for the mandatory pre-season fitness test. Later, during the course of the Australia series, Nayar, who was assigned broadcasting duties, revealed that Rohit lost 11 kilograms in the previous three months.
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After extending his stay at CoE to train for the Australia tour, Rohit returned to Mumbai and practised under the watchful eyes of Nayar at Shivaji Park before flying to Perth.
The hours of preparation showed in Australia. While his dismissal in the opener reflected some rustiness, he bounced back in Adelaide with a crucial half-century and capped the series with an unbeaten 121 off 125 balls in Sydney, hitting 13 fours and three sixes.
Speaking to JioStar after the match, Nayar said Rohit would be relieved with his performance but is unlikely to stop his fitness transformation, predicting the 38-year-old could shed a few more kilos before India’s ODI series at home against South Africa, starting November 14.
“Rohit Sharma will be a relieved man on his flight back to India. He gave up his favourite meal and the results are visible. The next series is in a month's time and don't be surprised if he loses a few more kilos by then," he said.
Besides the century, he was also involved in a record 168-run stand for the second wicket alongside Virat Kohli — the first century stand between the two since January 2020, where the latter contributed with an unbeaten 74. The two helped India deny the Aussies a whitewash in the ODI series as they chased down 237 with more than 11 overs to spare in what was their final international appearance in Australia.
