Rohit Sharma uses baseball bat in unique training drill as pressure builds on out-of-form India captain before MCG Test

Team India captain, Rohit Sharma, is leaving no stone unturned in his preparations for the high-stakes Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. In an intense training session on Sunday, Rohit was spotted wielding a baseball bat, a unique method to fine-tune his batting technique ahead of the crucial fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar series.

The 36-year-old top-order batter has struggled for form in the series so far, managing a mere 19 runs in three innings. With the series tied at 1-1, the upcoming Test in Melbourne is pivotal not only for India’s hopes of taking the lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but also for keeping their World Test Championship (WTC) final dreams alive.

As the Indian skipper, Rohit’s form is critical, and he knows that he needs to find his rhythm to help steer his team to victory.

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Interestingly, during the session, he was also seen clutching an ice pack to his knee, raising concerns about a potential injury. Despite the scare, it is evident that Rohit is fully committed to overcoming any physical setbacks to perform at his best.

Rohit has been in a lean patch since the latter half of 2024. Across 13 innings, he has only managed to score 153 runs, a worrying stat for a player of his caliber.

His struggles have been evident not just in the series against Australia but also in the recent Test encounters against Bangladesh and New Zealand at home. With the pressure mounting, Rohit’s role as a leader is now more important than ever.

Alongside Rohit, Virat Kohli’s form has also been a cause of worry despite a century from the batter in the first Test in Perth. Kohli’s runs dried up in the second and third Test, and the batter will aim at making a strong comeback in the all-important Boxing Day Test, which begins December 26.