India’s opening One-Day International against Australia in Perth proved to be a one-sided affair, with the visiting side failing to make a significant impact. The Indian top order, including Rohit Sharma (8), Virat Kohli (0), and captain Shubman Gill (10), crumbled under challenging overcast and seaming conditions after being asked to bat first. Following Gill’s early dismissal, persistent rain interruptions further hampered India’s innings on four separate occasions.
Virat Kohli dismissed for duck on ODI comeback
The most substantial partnership for India came from KL Rahul (38) and Axar Patel (31), who collectively added 39 runs with a clear, aggressive intent. Nitish Kumar Reddy also demonstrated his power-hitting prowess with two towering sixes, yet India could only muster a total of 136 for 9 in their allotted 26 overs.
Despite a strong turnout of Indian fans at Optus Stadium, the disappointing performances of Rohit and Kohli underscored a subpar outing for the team. Rohit Sharma, playing his 500th international match for India, started confidently with a crisp straight drive off Mitchell Starc, reminiscent of his prime. However, he was eventually dismissed by Josh Hazlewood, whose steep bounce found the edge of his bat, leading to a catch at second slip by debutant Matthew Renshaw.
Kohli, met with thunderous cheers upon his arrival at the crease, couldn’t replicate his usual ODI brilliance. A tentative prod outside the off-stump off Starc resulted in an edge, caught by Cooper Connolly at backward point, bringing Kohli’s brief eight-ball innings to an end.
Former India player Irfan Pathan commented on the situation, suggesting that ‘the demons of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT)’ seemed to have returned for Kohli. “Fitness is one thing, and game time is another. That’s why Rohit appeared somewhat troubled. For Virat, it looked like his BGT nightmares were back. I sincerely hope this isn’t the case in upcoming matches in Adelaide and Sydney. KL Rahul batted well today. Shreyas Iyer found himself in an awkward position; perhaps he needs to refine his technique a bit more. Axar consistently performs well whenever he gets a chance to bat higher up the order,” Pathan stated on his YouTube channel.
He further emphasized the importance of preparation: “Whenever you tour countries like Australia, it’s always advisable to arrive early and play a few practice games. It was bound to be challenging for India, as the conditions were not going to be easy. Our bowlers struggled to find the right lengths, and the batters also had difficulty adapting to the bounce. Had they played one or two warm-up matches, these errors might have been avoided. It is crucial to consider these factors moving forward for future tours.”