Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli faltered on their much-anticipated ODI comebacks, both falling within the first hour of the series opener against Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth. Rohit, returning to international cricket after six months, managed just 8 runs off 14 deliveries. Kohli, meanwhile, was dismissed for an eight-ball duck.
It was Kohli’s first duck in one-day international cricket in Australia as the ex-captain looked dejected as he walked back to the pavilion.
Australia’s pace duo, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, struck early blows after the hosts elected to bowl on a lively, pace-friendly Perth surface.
Rohit looked uncomfortable throughout his brief stay, struggling to adapt to the bounce and pace. His only boundary came via a crisp straight drive before Hazlewood set him up brilliantly in the fourth over. The right-arm quick surprised him with a length delivery that climbed sharply, drawing a tentative shot and resulting in a thick outside edge to the slip cordon.
India’s woes deepened when Shubman Gill, leading the side in ODIs for the first time, was dismissed for 10.
By the eighth over, India were in deep trouble at 25 for 3, with tension mounting in the dressing room. The collective contribution of the top 3 on Sunday was their lowest since the 2019 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand.
India’s Chief selector Ajit Agarkar recently remarked that it would be “stupid” to judge Rohit and Kohli after every game but confirmed that their performances would be monitored closely.
