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India National Cricket Team’s former strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai has come out in support of Rohit Sharma amid the criticism surrounding the former captain’s fitness. With the ICC ODI World Cup 2027 approaching, questions remain about Rohit Sharma’s form, fitness, and place in the Indian team, especially as he will be around 40 during the tournament.
Desai has revealed that Rohit has been dealing with serious injury concerns for several years and has worked hard to keep himself fit. He also explained why regular strength training is extremely important for Rohit and why people should not judge his fitness simply by his appearance.
Soham Desai breaks silence on Rohit Sharma’s fitness, reveals serious injury history
Speaking on a podcast with Prashant Desai, Soham Desai revealed that Rohit Sharma suffered a career-threatening injury around his hip after India lost the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final against Pakistan. He also spoke about the surgeries Rohit underwent involving his hamstring and hip flexor.
Soham revealed, “So people say this Rohit is lazy, mota hai (that he’s fat), and training nahi karta hai (that he doesn’t train). People need to understand this: that Rohit Sharma had a career-threatening injury around his hip in 2017—Champions Trophy jab hum log hare the Pakistan ke samne final, wo wali mein (after the Champions Trophy final against Pakistan). So, he has got surgeries in his hamstring and his hip flexor and all that.”
Ticking Bomb: Soham Desai makes big revelation about Rohit Sharma’s fitness
The former strength and conditioning coach explained that Rohit's hip area remains a major concern because of his injury history. He shared that the former Indian captain needs at least two strength-training sessions every week to manage the problem.
Without this regular work, Rohit could face serious fitness risks. Soham made it clear that the batter's training routine has been necessary for the last seven to eight years to help him continue playing international cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Soham further shared, “Around his hip is his weak spot. If he doesn’t train for a minimum of two strength sessions in a week, he is a red flag; he is a ticking bomb. And that is the scenario for the last seven to eight years. So, if he was not working hard, if he was lazy, he wouldn’t have lasted till today.
Forget about scoring runs, leading in the IPL, and playing twelve months in all formats. For the last seven or eight years, it has been non-negotiable. Either he has to do that or he has to work in a particular manner on the ground. Without those two, he cannot last, and this is not a secret.”
Soham Desai, former Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Indian cricket on Rohit Sharma fitness 🎙️ "Rohit Sharma had a career threatening injury around in his hip in 2017." https://t.co/zuR7QeiXY4
— Dedicated_edxs (@138HomeOfCric) October 25, 2026
Why Rohit Sharma must focus on strength and running to stay match-fit
The former strength and conditioning coach also explained that Rohit and Virat Kohli follow different fitness routines because their physical needs are not the same. Amid this, “Do not chase anything” - Morne Morkel backs Bhuvneshwar Kumar after expensive return to India T20I team.
While Kohli gets much of his fitness work through his activities on the cricket ground and focuses on lifting and basic strength exercises, Rohit needs a more specialized strength program because of his past injuries. He said that Rohit also needs regular running exercises to keep his hamstrings, quadriceps, and other muscles working properly.
Soham added, “Rohit is very strength-based and very explosive and reactive-based training. Because of his injury history, if he doesn’t do strength—particular manner of strength—then he is going to be creating that gap bigger and bigger. And also, he needs to do his basic running work to keep his hamstrings, quads, and everything in good rhythm.”
Soham reveals why Rohit's fitness has improved
The former strength and conditioning coach, who now works with Lucknow Super Giants, said he was not surprised to see an improvement in Rohit's physique and fitness.
He noted that the former India captain has retired from T20I and Test cricket, giving him more time to manage his training, recovery, and workload. Earlier, playing all three formats left him with less control over his daily routine because of constant travel and match commitments.
