Rohit Sharma bats for animal sterilisation

Cricketer Rohit Sharma has teamed up with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India again. This time he stars in a new campaign that shows him and a small dog peering into the camera next to the caption "Bat for Animals! Sterilise Cats and Dogs". Sharma's point? That by sterilising their dogs and cats, people will be saving the lives of countless unwanted puppies and kittens.

Shot by ace photographer Gaurav Sawn, the campaign image was released in time for the 2015 World Cup. Sharma's make-up and hair were done by Neha Kamra. “Sterilisation is important because I feel that we can stop the homeless animal crisis. There will be control of population among the street dogs,” Sharma said.

Sterilisation can prevent countless unwanted animals from being born only to struggle and survive on the streets, face abuse by cruel or neglectful people or end up in animal shelters. Just one unaltered female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in only six years. In seven years, one female cat and her offspring can produce 3.7 lakh kittens.

Sterilisation eliminates the stress and discomfort that females endure during heat periods and greatly reduces the risk of mammary cancer. Neutering makes males far less likely to roam or fight. This isn't the first time that Sharma has signed up with PETA to help animals. In March 2014, he slammed elephant abuse in circuses.