Screws in his foot, surgery behind him, Rohit Sharma returns with five wickets

Rohit still has screws in his landing foot, with the fractured bone near his ankle fixed surgically. Every delivery puts that foot under pressure, making the daily work of rehabilitation an integral part of his life. | Photo Credit: IMRAN NISSAR

When Rohit Sharma walked off the field with five wickets to his name, the figures meant more than just a good day at the office.

For the Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler, it marked the end of a two-year wait to return to First-Class cricket and the beginning of another chapter in a career that injury had threatened to derail.

The road back was anything but straightforward.

Rohit suffered an Achilles tendon rupture and a fracture to his heel bone. After recovering and returning to play, he re-injured the same area, two years back.

Another lengthy rehabilitation followed, testing his patience and resolve.

“Especially after an injury, it is very satisfying. But for me, this is a new beginning,” Rohit told Sportstar on Sunday.

The physical recovery was only part of the battle. Having played state-level cricket since 2011, he suddenly found himself unable to do what he had spent years doing. The desire to return never faded, but his body needed time.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐣𝐢 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐨𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚 In his first Ranji Trophy match in two years, the Jammu and Kashmir pacer picked up a five-wicket haul on Day 1 of the match against Madhya Pradesh. This was Rohit's second fifer in First-Class cricket. He finished with figures of 5/36. 📷 Imran Nissar

— Sportstar (@sportstarweb) October 11, 2026

“It is more mental than physical. You want to play, but your body does not allow you to. That is challenging,” he said.

However, time away from the game allowed him to work on his fitness and bowling. The Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) kept him with the team during rehabilitation, allowing him to remain part of the dressing-room environment and stay connected with his teammates.

Rohit’s desire to return to the game only grew stronger. Before he went under the knife at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai, his request to his surgeon were clear.

“I told the surgeon, ‘Sir, I have to play again. Do whatever you need to do with my leg, but I want to return to cricket.’”

The determination has come at a cost.

Rohit still has screws in his landing foot, with the fractured bone near his ankle fixed surgically. Every delivery puts that foot under pressure, making the daily work of rehabilitation an integral part of his life as a fast bowler. And on the eve of the game against Madhya Pradesh, while batting in the nets, he got hurt that same surgical area, off an Umran Malik delivery.

“I still have screws in my landing foot. The bone near my ankle that fractured has been fixed with screws. My landing foot has to bear the load when I bowl, so rehabilitation and daily work remain essential. That is the nature of this profession,” he said with a smile.

Rohit’s family helped prevent a sense of disconnection from the game.

He had spent much of his career away from home, often missing festivals and family occasions because of cricket. The enforced break gave him time with his wife, parents and maternal uncle in Jammu, while his six-month-old daughter brought fresh happiness into his life.

“When you play for the state, you spend six to eight months of the year away from home. You miss Diwali, you do not get to enjoy festivals at home, and you miss out on many family occasions,” he said, adding: “Instead of thinking about the dark phase, I used it as a chance to be with the family…”

Famous namesake

Now back in the thick of things, Rohit knows that competition for places in Jammu and Kashmir remains stiff. The side has a strong pool of fast bowlers, and opportunities have not always come his way as frequently as he would have liked.

There is also the curious coincidence of his name. Sharing it with former India captain Rohit Sharma, the Jammu and Kashmir pacer has often found himself at the centre of a namesake mix-up, with fans even asking on social media which Rohit Sharma is being referred to.

“The ‘Rohit Sharma versus Rohit Sharma’ discussion was happening then, too,” he recalled.

But he is not looking at his comeback merely as a chance to reclaim lost ground. “Whenever I play, I think only about what I can do for my team that day,” he said.

He has also changed the way he approaches practice.

“Now, whenever I practise, I try to bowl with the same intensity that I would maintain in a match,” he said.

For Rohit, a fan of Dale Steyn, the five wickets are a reward for the work that went into his return. But after two years away from First-Class cricket, he is in no hurry to look too far ahead.

As he puts it, this is a new beginning.

Published on Oct 11, 2026

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