India's ODI Captain Rohit Sharma Gears Up for Australia Tour

In a significant development, India's ODI captain Rohit Sharma is set to undergo a comprehensive fitness assessment at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru starting September 13. Sharma, who last played a competitive match in June for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2025, will be based at the CoE for two to three days, where he will not only undergo the mandatory Yo-Yo test but also the newly-introduced Bronco test.

The 38-year-old veteran batter, who retired from Test cricket on May 7, 2025, has been training at the Mumbai Cricket Association's BKC facility with his close friend and former India assistant coach Abhishek Nair. Sharma's last international appearance was the 2025 Champions Trophy final against New Zealand on March 9, where he scored 76 off 83 balls and was named the Player of the Match.

Sharma's fitness assessment at the CoE is seen as a crucial step in his preparations for the upcoming Australia white-ball tour in November. The India star may also turn out for the India A team in a three-match ODI series against Australia A, which is scheduled to be played at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur on September 30, October 3, and October 5. This series will serve as a warm-up for Sharma and fellow cricket icon Virat Kohli ahead of the three-match ODI series in Australia, which will begin on October 19 in Perth.