During the thrilling first One-Day International between Australia and India, Australian pace sensation Mitchell Starc captivated audiences with a delivery to Rohit Sharma that initially registered an unbelievable 176.5 kilometers per hour on the speed gun. This seemingly record-shattering moment quickly went viral, though it was soon revealed to be a technical glitch. The surprising speed reading momentarily overshadowed Starc’s brilliant setup of Virat Kohli, who was dismissed for an eight-ball duck—a rare occurrence for him in Australia—and the overall disappointing performance from India’s star batsmen.
Mitchell Starc during the match between Australia and India in Perth.
However, the astounding 176.5 kmph (109 mph) figure shown on the speed gun graphic was quickly identified as an error. Subsequent broadcasts and reliable sources corrected the reading to a more typical 140.8 kmph (just over 87 mph), which aligns with Starc’s impressive but realistic bowling speeds.
The opening ODI saw Indian veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma struggling to find their rhythm, much to the disappointment of fans. This was their first international outing since India’s Champions Trophy triumph earlier in March.
An embedded video featuring Arshdeep Singh’s press conference after the IND vs AUS 1st ODI, where he praises Captain Gill and backs Virat Kohli.
After Australia opted to bowl first, Rohit Sharma’s innings was brief, managing only eight runs off 14 balls before falling to Josh Hazlewood. With the former Indian captain back in the pavilion, hopes turned to Kohli to stabilize the innings.
Rohit Sharma (Screengrab)
Unfortunately, Kohli too failed to make an impact, departing for an eight-ball duck. This marked a rare and notable occasion: his first duck in ODI cricket played on Australian soil.
A poll asking, “What do you think of Mitchell Starc’s bowling performance in the first ODI?” with options for ‘Outstanding’, ‘Good’, ‘Average’, and ‘Disappointing’.
Reflecting on the match, Gill acknowledged the challenge, stating, “It’s never easy when you lose three wickets in the powerplay; you’re always trying to play catch-up. Despite the loss, there were many learnings and positives to take away.”
This game also ended India’s impressive eight-match winning streak in ODIs, marking their first defeat in the format for 2025.