Ever since Rohit Sharma became an all-format captain earlier last year, India have played 68 matches (5 Tests, 21 ODIs and 42 T20Is). Out of which he has featured in only 39 (2 Tests, 8 ODIs and 29 T20Is). The biggest reason for this was of course BCCI’s workload management, keeping the T20 World Cup in mind but there were a good number of matches that Rohit also missed due to injuries. The Indian captain’s fragile fitness has been a major talking point in the last 12 months. Never has an Indian captain missed so many games for various reasons. What has added to Rohit’s woes is his dodgy form with the bat.

Legendary Indian cricketer Kapil Dev said there is no problem with Rohit Sharma’s cricketing skills – he has been one of the pillars of Indian batting along with Virat Kohli in the last decade – but his fitness is a major concern. Kapil said he has serious doubts over the Indian captain’s fitness.

“There’s no shortcoming in Rohit Sharma. He has everything but I personally think, there is a huge question mark over his fitness. Is he fit enough? Because a captain should be someone who motivates the other players to get fitter, the teammates should feel proud of their captain,” Kapil said on ABP News.

The 1983 World Cup-winning Indian captain said if Rohit improves his fitness, it will act as a motivator for the rest of the Indian cricketers. “I can say with surety that there is a huge doubt over Rohit’s fitness. There has been a lot of criticism that he hasn’t scored that many runs since he has become captain, I kind of agree with it but I don’t think there is any issue with his cricketing skills. He is a very successful cricketer. If he gets fitter, the entire team will rally around him,” he added.

Kapil also advised the youngsters of the Indian team to step up and not depend on Rohit and Kohli to drive the side to a World Cup win.

Rohit last featured for India in the 2nd ODI against Bangladesh. He was ruled out of the third ODI, the two-match series that followed and also the ongoing three-math T20I series against Sri Lanka at home due to a dislocated left thumb. The talismanic right-handed batter is set to return to the scheme of things with the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka starting January 10.

There will be a lot of focus on Rohit’s form and fitness considering he is one of India’s mainstays in the ODI World Cup slated to take place in home conditions in October-November this year.