Rohit Sharma is set to face a fresh challenge as India prepares for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand. Towards the end of last year, he featured in the three-match ODI series against South Africa and later played two matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in December. Now, the former India captain has begun his preparations to make a strong return in the ODI format.
To stay match-ready, Rohit represented Mumbai in the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy. He played a brilliant knock of 155 runs against Sikkim, showing his class and form. However, he could not repeat the performance in the next match against Uttarakhand and was dismissed for a duck. According to BCCI instructions, he played two domestic matches before taking a short break.
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Birthday break and return to training
After completing his domestic assignment, Rohit took some time off and celebrated his daughter Samaira's seventh birthday in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya was also present at the celebration. Following the short break, Rohit has returned to training to prepare for the New Zealand series.
Focus on New Zealand series
Rohit has resumed net practice in Mumbai to maintain his rhythm in ODIs. He was seen training at the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) ground at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). He is scheduled to report to Baroda on January 7, when Team India's training camp for the series begins. The BCCI has already announced the squad, with Shubman Gill named captain, Shreyas Iyer as vice-captain, and Mohammed Siraj returning to the team. Shreyas Iyer's participation, however, will depend on fitness clearance from the Centre of Excellence (COE).
