India’s opening ODI against Australia at Perth was largely one-sided, as the visitors struggled to make an impact. The top-order, including Rohit Sharma (8), Virat Kohli (0), and captain Shubman Gill (10), faltered under overcast and seaming conditions after being put in to bat. After Gill’s dismissal, rain interruptions on four occasions further disrupted India’s innings. The most meaningful partnership came from KL Rahul (38) and Axar Patel (31), who added 39 runs with calculated intent. Nitish Kumar Reddy showcased his six-hitting ability with two towering maximums, but India could manage only 136 for 9 in a 26-over match. Indian fans turned out in large numbers at Optus Stadium to support their side, but the failures of Rohit and Kohli highlighted an ordinary outing. Rohit, playing his 500th match for India, began with a crisp straight drive off Mitchell Starc reminiscent of his past glory but was dismissed by Josh Hazlewood, whose steep bounce caught the edge for a catch at second slip by debutant Matthew Renshaw.
Kohli, cheered loudly as he walked in, could not produce his usual ODI form. A prod outside off-stump from Starc eventually drew an edge, which was caught by Cooper Connolly at backward point, ending Kohli’s brief eight-ball innings. Former India player Irfan Pathan said it looked like the demons of the BGT were back for Kohli. “Fitness is one thing and game time is one thing. That is why Rohit looked a bit troubled. It looked like the demons of the BGT were back for Virat. I hope this is not the case in Adelaide and Sydney. KL Rahul batted well today. Shreyas Iyer got into an awkward position. Maybe he can work a bit more on his technique. Axar does well whenever he gets an opportunity to bat ahead,” he said on his YouTube channel. “Whenever you tour such countries, it is always better to go early and play some games. It was going to be difficult for India. It was going to be a challenge as the conditions would not be easy. Our bowlers could not get the right lengths. The batters also had trouble with the bounce. If you had played a game or two, these mistakes would not have happened. It is important to think about these things going forward.”
