Rohit Sharma's secret to battling Test match nerves: Mother's banana wafers

Rohit Sharma admitted to experiencing nervousness during Test matches, often leading to sleepless nights. His mother's homemade baked banana wafers served as his comfort food for midnight cravings during these times.

Sharma described Test cricket as his favourite but also the toughest format, contributing to his anxiety.

The former India captain is making his television debut with 'Family Full House with Rohit Sharma' on Sony Entertainment Television.

 

Rohit Sharma revealed his go-to comfort food for midnight cravings during Test matches, admitting how the longest format would often make him nervous and keep him wide awake at night.

The former India captain, who represented India in 67 Tests between 2013 to 2024, is making his television debut with 'Family Full House with Rohit Sharma' on Sony Entertainment Television from Saturday, September 19, 2026.

Calling time on his Test career in May 2026, Rohit scored 4,301 runs in the format at an average of 40.57, including 12 centuries and 18 fifties, with a highest score of 212.

Rohit opened up on how the pressure and nervousness of playing Test cricket would often give him sleepless nights, with mother's homemade banana wafers coming to the rescue.

Speaking about his midnight cravings, Rohit said, "Haan, hoti toh hai. Main jhooth nahi bolunga, lekin jab bhi main Test match khelta tha, andar bahut nervousness hoti thi. Toh Test match ke time khaas karke, kyunki yeh mera favourite format tha, Test match khelna. (Yes, those cravings would happen, I won't lie. When I would play Tests, I would feel nervous inside because it was my favourite format)."

He explained how Test cricket being the toughest of all formats would make him nervous.

"Kyunki Test match khelna aasaan format nahi hai. Koi bhi format aasaan nahi hota, lekin Test match ke apne alag-alag challenges hote the. Toh Test match ke liye main hamesha nervous rehta tha aur nervousness mein mujhe neend nahi aati thi, toh raat bhar main jaaga rehta tha. (Test cricket is not an easy format. Actually no format is easy but Test cricket has its unique challenges, so I would always be nervous, and due to that, I would struggle to sleep at night and I would stay awake at night)."

While he would struggle to sleep he would feast on the banana wafers made by his mother.

"Toh aap jaage rehte ho toh kuch na kuch khaane ka mann karta tha. Toh main hamesha mere saath mera comfort food rakhta tha, jo meri mummy hamesha bana ke deti thi, woh tha banana wafers. (When you stay awake, then you feel like eating something. So I would keep my comfort food with me -- the banana wafers which my mother would make for me)."

Interestingly, the banana wafers were not fried but baked, making them the perfect comforting snack during cricket tours.

"Woh fried nahi hota tha. Meri mummy ke kuch tareeke the, woh bake karti thi usko aur woh main hamesha apne saath leke chalta tha. Toh kabhi bhi mann karta tha toh usse kha leta tha. (The snack was not fried, my mother would bake them, and I would keep them with me always, having them whenever I wanted)," he added.