Rohit Sharma is entering a phase of his career where a single injury or an unproductive run of form can drastically change the outlook. Approaching 39, he has invested in hard work that many would consider extraordinary for a batter at that stage—effort that mirrors, and in some ways surpasses, what Virat Kohli put himself through during 2012-13. Shedding the weight at this age is not something that happens casually, yet Rohit has done it with the clear intention of keeping his body ready for cricket’s biggest stage. He has one final window to chase the sport’s most personal prize—his dream of winning the 50-over World Cup, a goal that was taken away from him twice.
November 19 continues to hurt. There will never be another October-November like 2023, when the whole nation treated it like a celebration and nothing else seemed to matter. Then, in the brutal aftermath of that campaign, the trophy slipped away in a way that still lingers. Yet, the disappointment also powered Rohit to go on and lift the 2024 T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy. Now, captain or not, his determination is unchanged: he wants to finish his career by winning the trophy in South Africa next year.
Injury timeline and what it means for the next stretch
- With roughly 18 months remaining before the “African Safari”, Rohit’s hamstring problem is the kind of setback that arrives at the worst possible moment.
- Typically, such a niggle takes around two to three weeks to settle, but the timing is complicated by team selection concerns.
- Hardik Pandya has been ruled out for the next couple of games as well, which raises the possibility of a “Dhoni-like” scenario where Rohit may have to wait for his moment.
- Once the IPL ends, Rohit is expected to get a useful block of time to build match rhythm, especially since his schedule shifts toward playing only ODIs.
- At the same time, Rohit knows that one poor run—he endured a low-impact spell against New Zealand, managing just 61 runs across three innings—could strongly influence how long his top-level chances last.
England will provide a stern assessment for Rohit, even though he has already enjoyed the best World Cup tournament of his India career in 2019, when he struck 648 runs with five centuries. New Zealand will also test him. While the later part of the calendar may offer some relief, the forthcoming FTP schedule could still bring its own challenges, depending on match demands and workload management. Still, the question remains: who can say Rohit won’t find a way through?
Pressure, fitness and the mindset behind the run
Rohit’s childhood coach Dinesh Lad believes the captaincy pressure doesn’t show in the way he trains and plays. Lad points out that fitness at 25 and fitness at 38 are entirely different matters, yet he does not see Rohit as struggling physically.
He highlighted Rohit’s efforts in the fielding phase, noting that the way he moves suggests he is not carrying any visible loss of mobility. Lad also referenced how Rohit continues to take quick singles, run twos when openings appear, and make the kind of choices that require sharp decision-making. In Lad’s view, the key advantage is mindset: Rohit does not fall into the trap of thinking about age as a reason to slow down, and instead keeps his focus on execution rather than fatigue narratives.
Lad also recalled two earlier moments that shaped Rohit’s hunger. In the 2007 World T20, Rohit told him, in Hindi, that he was “tired of waiting” because he wasn’t getting a chance while MS Dhoni kept him on the bench for the first three matches. When Rohit finally got his opportunity, he scored a fifty against South Africa and immediately told Lad that he had promised an impact once the chance arrived.
Four years later, Rohit faced another setback when he was left out of India’s 2011 World Cup squad. Lad says Rohit again went to him with frustration, asking why he wasn’t being considered. But after Lad questioned him further, the “fuse” ignited in Rohit’s mind. Rohit understood that being merely average would never fit his plan, and that realization fed into the turnaround. By 2013, he was promoted to open the innings, and the rest became history.
Lad believes Rohit has always carried that carefree confidence—“bindaas,” as he puts it—not only at present but throughout his career. He argues that if someone studies Rohit’s batting closely, it becomes clear he is not playing as though he is under pressure. The batter, in Lad’s assessment, still handles short deliveries with ease and keeps finding ways to clear the ropes with big sixes. Lad also stresses that Rohit retired from Tests because his priority was to win the World Cup, and since 2023 he has felt the sting of losing the final, while in 2019 India’s run ended in the semi-final. The coach’s conclusion is firm: Rohit is going to play, and Virat will play too, meaning both are likely to be part of India’s World Cup plans given how they are performing right now.
Vengsarkar backs Rohit despite doubts
With speculation lingering about Rohit’s relationship with the BCCI’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir—both of whom have not guaranteed a spot for Rohit or Virat in the 2027 World Cup—Dilip Vengsarkar has thrown his weight behind Rohit. A former chairman of selectors himself, Vengsarkar argues that age should not be a decisive factor, provided Rohit continues to maintain his “form and fitness” and remains available to contribute at the highest level.
Vengsarkar said he has not tracked Rohit closely during the IPL, but he believes that all elite players take pride in producing results—both in match-winning performances and in representing India. He described Rohit as among the best in the world, praising his technique, skill, temperament, and ability to win games on his own. In Vengsarkar’s view, cricket is fundamentally about form and fitness, not years. If Rohit stays in shape and his performances remain sharp, he can continue playing.
To underline the point, Vengsarkar also drew a comparison with the oldest Indian cricketer to feature in a World Cup—Sunil Gavaskar. That was four decades ago, when Gavaskar was 38 years and 313 days old and scored his first and only one-day century in the 1987 edition. It was also the year Rohit Sharma was born. With that parallel, the question hangs in the air: can the dots connect?
