Australia secured a convincing seven-wicket victory in the opening One-Day International against India in Perth, a match shortened by rain. Spinner Matthew Kuhnemann acknowledged that early wickets were crucial to their success but confidently stated his belief that India would make a strong comeback after this significant loss.
India’s batting line-up struggled, managing only 136 for nine amidst constant rain delays. The early dismissals of star players Rohit Sharma (8 runs) and Virat Kohli (0 runs) proved particularly damaging, setting a clear advantage for Australia from the outset.
Despite a large turnout of enthusiastic Indian fans at Optus Stadium, eager to see Rohit and Kohli’s return to international cricket since March, their collective batting failure highlighted a generally subpar performance from the Indian team.
Addressing reporters after the match, Kuhnemann was asked if Australia had managed to ‘silence’ the predominantly Indian crowd. He responded, “Absolutely. When you’re playing against a team featuring so many world-class batsmen and legends of the game, securing those early wickets makes an enormous difference.”
Nevertheless, Kuhnemann expressed optimism about India’s prospects, confident they would rebound vigorously from this substantial opening defeat.
He elaborated, “I truly believe they’ll come back incredibly strong. As I mentioned, they are a world-class side, and this entire series, including both the ODIs and T20Is, is shaping up to be fantastic.”
Kuhnemann himself had a notable performance, taking two wickets for just 26 runs in his four-over spell, dismissing Axar Patel (31) and Washington Sundar (10). He attributed his successful outing to his extensive experience in the T20 format.
He remarked, “With the constant interruptions, there was a point where I didn’t think I’d get to bowl at all. Even when I eventually did, I knew finishing the innings would be a significant challenge.”
Kuhnemann further explained, “However, I’ve been with this squad for some time now, especially around the T20 setup. I’ve dedicated the last six months to honing my skills in that specific T20 bowling role, which definitely paid off today.”
The left-arm spinner also highlighted the invaluable guidance he received from fellow Australia limited-overs spinner Adam Zampa and assistant coach Daniel Vettori.
He shared his enthusiasm, saying, “Every opportunity to travel with this team is incredible. I’ve experienced considerable success, and it’s always important to seize these chances to play. I genuinely love being part of this team, and securing a win here felt truly special.”
Kuhnemann continued, “I’ve dedicated significant time with Zamps (Adam Zampa) over the past three months, and also worked closely with Vettori. My T20 experience, even though this was an ODI, teaches you to be ready to bowl at any point from the first to the twentieth over, especially as a finger spinner.”
He concluded, “I’m constantly learning from those guys, particularly Zamps, who has been an outstanding bowler for this team for a very long time.”
Kuhnemann also mentioned that the frequent rain interruptions during India’s innings, which forced players off the field multiple times, particularly affected the Australian fast bowlers.
He explained, “It was probably more frustrating for our fast bowlers because they were in a fantastic rhythm, delivering pace, and getting the ball to nip and swing beautifully.”
Kuhnemann praised their resilience, adding, “The initial spell they bowled was superb, and their ability to return and perform well after several rain delays was truly commendable.”