Team India has arrived at the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium ahead of the first ODI against New Zealand, but a key absence during the opening practice session has caught everyone’s attention: Rohit Sharma.

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While the rest of the squad hit the nets to begin preparations for the three-match series, the veteran opener was notably missing from the training session. Rohit was last seen at the ‘United by Triumph’ event in Mumbai, hosted by the Reliance Foundation, where he was felicitated alongside Harmanpreet Kaur and Indian Blind women’s team captain Deepika TC. The trio, all World Cup-winning captains, were honoured at the ceremony.

In visuals shared by the BCCI on social media, several senior Indian players were seen training intensely, including captain Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, and head coach Gautam Gambhir. Apart from Rohit, two other big names, Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant, were also absent from the practice session.

Both Jadeja and Pant have been involved in domestic commitments, having recently represented Saurashtra and Delhi respectively in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

The upcoming ODI series against New Zealand marks India’s first international assignment of 2026. The opening match is scheduled to be played on January 11 at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi, Vadodara.