Rohit Sharma Clears Fitness Test, Shows No Hamstring Issues During Intense Net Session Ahead of Afghanistan ODIs
Hitman Back in Spotlight at Mohali
Questions about whether Rohit Sharma could play melted away. Arriving in Mohali on June 10, 2026, the senior batsman reconnected with India’s ODI unit shortly after passing a physical check at the BCCI facility in Bengaluru.
From there, he moved fast – air travel took him straight from Bangalore to Chandigarh without delay. Straight off the plane, focus pulled him toward the IS Bindra Stadium for training drills. Behind closed doors, updates flow steadily; Khelosports tracks each movement, offering real-time snapshots of player form before the clash with Afghanistan.
Out of nowhere, he moved freely, the 39 year old showing zero trace of the leg issue that had stopped him mid stride back in IPL 2026. That shift in energy changed everything around camp just days before the first of three ODIs kicks off on June 13 in Dharamsala.
A Scratchy Start Against Pace
Out near the edge of the practice field, Rohit started swinging the bat. Light sprints came first, paced carefully under Adrian Le Roux’s quiet gaze. Close by, Ishan Kishan moved in sync during each drill.
With pads strapped on tight, everything shifted into sharper focus. Out of rhythm at the start, just how it usually goes when someone steps back into batting after time off. First delivery itself – Reddy pinned him leg before wicket with one that came in late. From Brar and Yadav, he chose to let several balls go by.
A push here, a near edge there, nothing flowing smoothly yet. Scoring didn’t seem to matter much. What stood out was his effort to find flow through the bat speed, not force. Only later did things begin to settle.
Rohit Sharma passes fitness test, cleared to play Afghanistan ODIs
— News18 (@CNNnews18) June 9, 2026
Former India captain Rohit Sharma has reportedly been cleared to participate in the ODI series against Afghanistan after undergoing an assessment for his hamstring issue at the Board of Control for Cricket in… pic.twitter.com/r7ssXaHpke
Aggression and Fluency Signs
Out of nowhere, traces of the familiar Rohit began showing up again. Over the boundary at mid wicket went the ball, flicked with that classic twist of the wrists off Arshdeep Singh. When Prince Yadav aimed a wide yorker next, the bat angled open – delicate touch doing the rest. Yet things weren’t quite seamless just yet.
A mistimed pull followed a short delivery from Gurnoor Brar. Outside edges escaped the ball on several occasions. Still, signs of development showed clearly throughout. In time, defense started meeting the center of the bat. With every over, steps toward fast bowlers looked steadier. Progress arrived quietly, but it arrived.
🚨ROHIT SHARMA IS COMING 🚨
— Indian Cricket (@IPL2025Auction) June 9, 2026
Rohit Sharma has cleared the fitness Test at BCCI CoE & will join the team soon for Afghanistan series. pic.twitter.com/5LiFPoZb2C
Dominating the Spinners with Ease
Out near the nets, Rohit looked sharpest when the spinners took over. An hour had passed under fast bowling before he shifted there. Right away, his ease stood out – clearer than anything seen earlier.
Facing someone tossing it wide off, he struck multiple clean hits down the ground. Effortless might be too light a word for how they came off the bat. Shots like those? They’ve shaped his game longer than most careers last.
Finding the gaps came naturally when facing spin, just the form India hopes their experienced batsman brings. Scoring freely could make all the difference when up against Afghanistan’s sharp turners, especially someone like Rashid Khan.
Pressure Grows Without Kohli and Pandya
Back now, Rohit matters more than usual. A hamstring problem kept Virat Kohli out of the lineup. Before games even began, Hardik Pandya picked up another knock. With those absences, he stands as the top-order veteran left standing.
Every shot he plays gets studied by selection panels eyeing 2027. Ends where it started – with him. Now that Tests and T20Is are behind him, Rohit turns only to ODIs.
His return to action comes in this series versus Afghanistan – first outing since IPL 2026, during which 283 runs came off his bat across nine games, striking at 157.22.
What the Net Session Showed
That Wednesday practice didn’t settle the question of whether Rohit is ready for game pace. Not its purpose anyway. Still, it showed glimpses – familiar shots returning like old habits relearned.
From an awkward leg-before exit to clean drives soaring down the ground – a shift only batters recognize. Patience shaped each movement, while muscle memory slowly woke up facing slow bowlers.
Still moving freely through quick sprints and practice swings. Fingers crossed the steady recovery holds up against Afghanistan’s pace attack come June 13 under the Dharamsala sun.
FAQs
Yes, he suffered a hamstring injury during IPL 2026.
June 13, 2026 at Dharamsala.
Both are out due to hamstring injuries.
