For once, Rohit’s bat has some life in it. The India captain was in a white-ball session in Mohali on Wednesday that everyone had an eye on, and he made a point of showing he is in order. It didn’t answer every question you might have, but it put a different spin on things ahead of the ODIs with Afghanistan.
A session that shifted the conversation
The one that got a reaction was off Arshdeep Singh: a well-timed flick over deep mid-wicket, as you would expect. Not long after, he put his foot in and let a wide yorker from Prince Yadav go, steering it with a bit of an edge. That sort of no-nonsense control is what you like to see when the feel is back.
After that, you heard less talk of what-ifs and more of him finding his groove. The coaches and lads were watching; every little thing he put away was a statement in itself. It was a veteran putting himself back in front of his own standards, not just going through the motions.
From questions of fitness to proof on grass
Even before the bus pulled up at the IS Bindra Stadium, there was some speculation. We knew from Tuesday’s reports he was cleared, but you don’t get the full picture until you see him out on the turf, moving about and facing some pace.
He had a word with Adrian Le Roux first, then did some light running with Ishan Kishan. Five sets or so, and you couldn’t tell if it was any trouble for him. A necessary box to tick before he even thought about the bat.
Rhythm built the old-fashioned way
Once he was in his gear, Rohit spent the next hour in and out of the fast and spinners’ nets. He wasn’t after showy stuff at the start. He wanted to be in the right place and make the right call, and he was fine with the work that comes after a spell off.
Nitish Kumar Reddy had him in front with an in-cutter to begin with. He left some from Gurnoor and Prince, was a bit tentative, and there were a few where he played and missed. But then you started to hear the thud of a cover drive being put through nicely.
Why it matters for India vs Afghanistan
India aren’t looking for Rohit to re-prove what 20 years of cricket has already told us. They want him in the zone. What we saw on Wednesday is that the line between being a bit rusty and in your stride is getting thin, and he is doing it with patience.
If you were there, you would have picked up on this:
– No sign of any pain in the conditioning part of it
– An early lbw, then you can see the fluency come on
– A six over mid-wicket to put past Arshdeep
– Some straight hits in the off-break net
– Time with both the pacers and the spinners
The supporting cast and the context
There is plenty of ability in the room. Yashasvi Jaiswal was on show. You had Shreyas Iyer, the new T20 skipper, making his presence felt. And the likes of Gurnoor, Prince and Harsh Dubey were at it with their heads down.
But the 39-year-old from Mumbai is still the main event. As he went from one end to the other, it became something for the rest of the camp to watch – a few peeks from the boys, the staff making notes, and those who know how to spot a correction when they see one.
The turning point of the hitman’s hour
You can’t have it all on the first day back. Gurnoor came in with a short one and the pull didn’t quite stick. Some balls nipped past the outside edge, as a reminder of the fine margins in this game.
Then he was in with the spin and it was a different story. In the nets, he was sending them back with the kind of ease you are used to from him. High elbow, clean arc, and that stillness at the top of the shot. It’s been his trademark for as long as anyone can remember.
What comes next
We weren’t here for a final say, and we didn’t get one. The only thing that counts for Rohit is whether he can hold up to his own measure when the game is on.
So for now, with the Afghanistan series on the horizon, Wednesday was a good look at where he is at. The body is with him, the muscle memory is there, and the bat is in the right place. For India, that is enough for the moment.
