Star India batter Rohit Sharma has begun training for the side's upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa, starting November 30. He played India's recent three-match series against Australia in the format and turned out to be the Player of the Series with 202 runs to his name. The right-handed batter smashed a century and a fifty, topping the scorers' chart. It is worth noting that Rohit has already called time on his Test and T20I careers, and remains active only in one format at the international level.
As the player resumed his training at the nets of the Bandra-Kurla Complex ground in Mumbai, it was his look that grabbed everyone's attention. Rohit had already undergone a transformation by losing noticeable weight ahead of the Australia series, and the internet believes that he has lost some more kilograms ahead of the ODIs against the Proteas.
Pictures and videos of Rohit's new look went viral on social media.
"Looks like Rohit Sharma has lost 5 more kgs after the Australia series," wrote a fan.
"Guy is losing weight as easily as RCB used to loose IPL trophies. Rohit Sharma is literally showing how to do it even at the age of 38. You genius!" wrote another fan.
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It is worth noting that Rohit is no longer India's ODI captain and it is Shubman Gill, who now leads the side in the format. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) made a bold call ahead of the Australia series, announcing Gill as India's new ODI captain.
BCCI chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar explained why it was necessary to shift from the previous strategy.
"It's practically impossible to have three different captains for three formats, just in terms of planning. Obviously, at some stage, you've got to start looking at where the next World Cup is," Agarkar said.
"It's also a format which is played the least now. So you don't get that many games to actually give the next guy, or if there is going to be another guy, that much time to prepare himself or plan. And we're two years away still. That might look like a long time, but we don't quite know how many one-day games we might play," he added.
The next Cricket World Cup will be taking place around two years from now.