Former India coach Abhishek Nayar has opened up on Rohit Sharma’s remarkable fitness transformation, revealing the thought process behind the India skipper’s 11-kilo weight loss and his vision for the 2027 World Cup.“I think there’s been a lot of talk about the weight loss,” Nayar told JioHotstar at the start of the match.
“The initial parts were about obviously getting fitter, getting leaner. I spoke about this before. There was this spitting image of him walking out of the airport, you know, after his holiday in the UK. So that was something he wanted to change. He wanted to come back.”According to Nayar, the transformation wasn’t just about aesthetics — it was a long-term plan with 2027 ODI World Cup in mind.“The outlook was obviously the 2027 World Cup — to be fitter, to be stronger, to be lighter, agile. And the skill has always been there. So the fitness has only amplified the skill. It’s helped him, you know, move faster. His agility is the best it’s ever been.”Nayar even joked about the weight difference bringing visible changes to Rohit’s game. “We are hoping that those 11 kilos that he’s lost — and I say this 11,000 grams lighter than Rohit Sharma is — you can see those faster pullers and better square cuts this time around.”For Rohit, the transformation is not just physical but mental too. “He’s excited. He’s keen. He knows there’s a bit of pressure and talk around, you know, will he reach the 2027 World Cup? The first statement was his weight. Hopefully, the second statement is the runs he gets with the bat.”
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Rohit’s previous T20I and ODI outings ended with celebration after guiding the team to ICC trophies, and he was leading the side even in his last Test appearance in Melbourne.The celebrated cricketer will clearly be knowing that they no longer have the immunity of leadership role or luxury of time, as the current selectors and team management have no deep remorse in taking some harsh calls with future in mind, particularly the 2027 ODI World Cup.
