The Indian cricket team finally touched down in Perth around 4 AM IST on October 16th, facing unexpected travel delays. Led by Shubman Gill, the star-studded squad, featuring key players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and KL Rahul, is now set to kick off their highly anticipated series against Australia, which includes three One Day Internationals and five Twenty20 International matches.
Their journey was far from smooth, marked by a four-hour hold-up at Delhi airport on October 15th, leading to subsequent schedule adjustments during their Singapore layover. Upon arrival at Perth airport, tight security measures meant enthusiastic fans couldn’t greet their cricketing idols up close. Exhausted, the players headed straight to their hotel rooms to rest.
Shortly after their arrival in Western Australia’s capital, Virat Kohli – whose participation alongside Rohit Sharma in this series is speculated to be their final tour Down Under – shared a cryptic, yet powerful, message on social media. His post read: “The only time you truly fail, is when you decide to give up.” This statement, while broadly inspirational, also seems to perfectly capture Kohli’s unwavering competitive spirit.
Notably, the prolific right-handed batsman hasn’t featured in any professional cricket since his pivotal role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s historic IPL title win. His last outing for the Indian national team was during their Champions Trophy triumph.
Following their recent retirements from T20 Internationals and Test cricket, both Kohli and Sharma have now exclusively shifted their focus to One Day Internationals. Their departure from T20Is came after India’s T20 World Cup victory in Barbados, and they stepped away from Test cricket prior to the recent England tour.
The highly anticipated ODI matches against Australia are slated to take place in Perth, Adelaide, and Sydney.