Anticipation was sky-high as cricket fans worldwide eagerly awaited the return of India’s formidable duo, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, after a 224-day hiatus. Kicking off Diwali week, their comeback for the ODI series was meant to reignite joy and excitement, especially after India’s Champions Trophy triumph. Despite their prior retirements from T20Is and Test cricket, expectations for their ODI performance were immense. However, the opening match unfortunately failed to deliver on that immense promise.
Virat Kohli dismissed for duck on ODI comeback as India reduced to 37/3
The match began with Australia winning the toss and opting to bowl, extending India’s curious streak to 16 consecutive ODI toss losses – their last win being against New Zealand in the CWC 2023 semifinals at Wankhede. Australia’s bowlers wasted no time capitalizing on the lively Perth pitch. Josh Hazlewood dismissed Rohit Sharma with a well-pitched delivery, while Mitchell Starc lured Virat Kohli into chasing a wide one, leading to Kohli’s first duck in 30 ODI innings on Australian soil. Young talent Shubman Gill managed a few quick runs but was soon trapped leg before wicket. Together, this star trio mustered a mere 18 runs, marking their lowest combined aggregate in an ODI where all three participated, surpassing their previous low of 25 runs against Pakistan in Pallekele in 2023.
A brief rain delay followed these early wickets. Adding to the day’s somber mood, Rohit Sharma’s monumental 500th international match began with a personally underwhelming performance. This continued a trend of modest scores in his landmark games, with previous innings including 15 runs in his 100th match, 21 in his 200th, 8 in his 300th, and 15 and 46 in his 400th – today, he managed only 8 runs.
Despite this rocky beginning, the match remains in its nascent stages. Fans are holding out hope that the Men in Blue can stage a swift recovery and effectively counter Australia’s disciplined bowling attack on the challenging Perth deck.