Former India captain Rohit Sharma has sparked a wave of excitement on social media after a training video showing his noticeably leaner physique went viral ahead of the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand. As India prepares for the three-match contest starting January 11 in Vadodara, Rohit’s transformed look has quickly become a major talking point among fans.

The veteran opener is set to return to action when India take on New Zealand in the first ODI on Sunday. Rohit arrived in Vadodara earlier this week and is expected to play a key role at the top of the order alongside Virat Kohli. Having stepped away from Test cricket in May last year, Rohit is now fully focused on white-ball formats, with ODIs firmly in his sights.

In the viral clip, Rohit is seen batting in the nets, appearing sharper and fitter than before. Fans were quick to react, with many calling him “barely recognisable” and some even suggesting he looked “thinner than Kohli.” The video also caught attention for Rohit sporting a new helmet during the session. One standout moment showed him stepping into a delivery and launching a straight six down the ground with ease.

Rohit’s presence drew a crowd at the MCA Ground in Mumbai, where fans gathered to catch a glimpse of the star batter during training. A light-hearted moment from the session saw a fan offering him a vada pav, an iconic snack closely associated with Rohit, which he acknowledged with a smile before politely declining.

The past year has been a memorable one for the Nagpur-born cricketer. Rohit led India to the ICC Champions Trophy title, playing a match-winning knock of 76 in the final. He also reached the top of the ICC ODI batting rankings for the first time, became India’s third-highest run-scorer in ODIs, and the fourth Indian to cross 20,000 international runs. Additionally, he surpassed Shahid Afridi’s long-standing record for the most sixes in ODIs and finished the year with 650 runs in 14 innings at an average of 50.

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