Rohit Sharma's impressive weight loss of about 11 kilograms before the ODI series against Australia was the result of a disciplined and intense fitness journey that lasted roughly three months.
Former India
assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, who worked closely with Rohit, revealed the meticulous process behind this transformation, emphasizing the cricketer's extraordinary commitment both inside and outside the gym.
Rohit trained for three hours a day, six days a week, focusing on high-repetition strength and endurance workouts rather than heavy cardio. While speaking with the broadcasters during the 1st ODI between India and Australia, Nayar depicted Rohit's entire routine in his weight loss journey.
"The first five weeks were about a bodybuilder's mindset, where he was trying to train to completely lean down. He did 700-800 reps for every body part. It was almost an hour-and-a-half session every day. Imagine, if you were doing chest and triceps, you ended up doing 800 reps. Along with that, we finished every session with around 15 to 20 minutes of cross-fit, which is more cardio and movement-based," Nayar said.
Crucially, Rohit also controlled his diet stringently. The India stalwart is known for his love for food, but decided to stay away from all of that during his fitness regime.
"After that, his eating habits had to be controlled. It was his commitment to go home and not indulge in the famous vadapav and everything else people talk about. That was his commitment to the sport," he added.
Nayar further highlighted that the transformation was motivated not just by fitness but also by a desire to prolong his career and perform better in the 2027 World Cup. Rohit was reportedly inspired to change after seeing an unflattering photo of himself that went viral on social media. The results showed as Rohit felt lighter and more agile on the field and Nayar shared a memorable anecdote
"The first time we practised, he played a defensive shot. That day, the scenario was drop and run. When he ran and reached the non-striker's end, he said: 'Bhai, main toh ud raha hoon (Brother, I'm flying). ' That was his feedback because after a long time, he was feeling really light," Nayar concluded.
Despite the fitness revolution, Rohit failed to score runs in his first India appearance since the Champions Trophy. The India batter got dismissed for just 8 runs and will be hoping to return among runs in the next match.
