"Comebacks are not at all easy": Rohit Sharma recalls road back to Team India

What’s the story?

Having faced an extended time away from the Indian team, opener Rohit Sharma, known for his smooth and unhurried strokeplay, has given an interesting insight into his experience during recuperation and why his batting isn’t as easy as it looks to be.

"Comebacks are not at all easy. After a major surgery, the difficult part is to conquer the inner demons. It's all in the mind. Only an individual can overcome his fears. My batting may look easy to the eye but trust me, it's not that easy," Rohit confessed.

In case you didn’t know…

An injury to his right thigh in the final game of the ODI series against New Zealand last year ruled him out of competitive cricket for close to six months. He made his much awaited comeback for the Mumbai Indians, captaining them to a record third IPL title. The Champions Trophy followed, and while he was rested for the West Indies series right after, Sharma found a place in the squads of all three formats for the Sri Lanka tour.

The heart of the matter

With three centuries in ten games since making his comeback, Rohit Sharma has been on song since a successful re-entry at the top of India’s batting line-up. The 30-year-old conceded that injury had been at the back of his mind even during his time captaining the Mumbai side, with constant fears about the fixed thigh flaring up unexpectedly.

He, however, added that similar thoughts did not enter his mind when he was donning the India jersey, claiming that his mind used to be blank while batting at the top of the order for the country.

What’s next?

Now the vice-captain of the Indian team, Rohit will have more responsibility on his shoulders, especially with the absence of Shikhar Dhawan, as the Indian team prepares for their ODI series against Australia.

Author’s take

Irrespective of one’s stature, comebacks are extremely difficult at the international level in modern cricket, especially because of the increased importance being given to fitness standards.

Rohit’s self-admission about his batting not being as easy as it looks will make his fans respect him even more. Even for someone like Rohit, whose credentials as an ODI opener are as good as anyone else in the world, the road to recovery wasn’t smooth at all, and required tremendous hard work from the Mumbaikar. For his pleasing-to-the-eye range of languid strokes, and for his commendable mental strength, Rohit will remain a role model for several budding cricketers.