Perth: It was not the Sunday Indian fans had hoped for. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, both making their much-anticipated ODI comebacks, faltered early in the series opener against Australia at the Optus Stadium. The two veterans fell within the first hour, leaving India reeling on a lively, pace-friendly surface.

Early collapse for India

Rohit, returning to international cricket after six months, managed just 8 runs off 14 balls. Kohli, playing his first ODI since June, endured a rare failure — dismissed for an eight-ball duck, his first in one-day internationals on Australian soil.
Australia’s pace duo, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, delivered the early blows after the hosts elected to bowl first under overcast conditions.

Rohit looked uncomfortable throughout his short stay, struggling to adapt to the bounce and movement. His only boundary came via a crisp straight drive before Hazlewood set him up in the fourth over. A length delivery climbed sharply, drawing a tentative shot and resulting in a thick outside edge to the slips.

Kohli, in contrast, appeared composed early but fell chasing a wide delivery from Starc, gifting a simple catch to point.

India’s top order crumbles

India’s troubles compounded when stand-in captain Shubman Gill was dismissed for 10. By the eighth over, India were tottering at 25 for 3, their top three contributing just 18 runs — the lowest since the 2019 World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand.

The dressing room grew tense as the top order’s collapse left the middle order exposed early. Vice-captain Shreyas Iyer and all-rounder Axar Patel were forced to rebuild the innings cautiously as scoring opportunities dried up.

Why Rohit and Kohli failed

Both senior batters failed to spend meaningful time in the middle after a long layoff. Rohit, known for his aggressive approach in ODIs, looked eager to dominate but his high-risk intent backfired. He attempted to clear the ropes early, miscuing multiple deliveries before falling to Hazlewood’s extra bounce.

Kohli, meanwhile, showed hints of an old weakness — his tendency to chase deliveries outside off stump. Despite working on his technique in London over the past few months, the issue resurfaced as he reached for a fuller ball from Starc, resulting in a mistimed shot.

Former Australia captain Mark Taylor criticised the duo’s approach, noting that both failed to give themselves enough time to settle. “It was surprising to see such expansive shots so early in the innings, especially after months without match practice,” he said on commentary.

Long layoff shows

The Perth ODI marked Rohit and Kohli’s first competitive outing since the IPL 2025 concluded in June. While Rohit had been training with former assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, and Kohli fine-tuned his game overseas, neither had faced live bowlers in match conditions for over four months.

Their lack of rhythm was apparent, as they struggled to judge the bounce and pace of the Perth surface — one of the quickest in the world.

What lies ahead for the duo

Though one failure does not define them, the focus will now shift to how the pair bounce back. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar recently stated that it would be “stupid” to judge the two icons after every game but confirmed that performances would be monitored closely.

With both players retired from Tests and T20Is, ODIs remain their only format at the international level. India are scheduled to play fewer than 25 ODIs before the 2027 World Cup, making consistent match practice crucial.

Among fans, reactions were divided. While some expressed faith in their heroes, others feared that time might be catching up with India’s batting stalwarts.

India eventually crawled to 27 runs in the first 10 overs, rebuilding slowly after the early collapse. The coming matches in the series will likely determine whether Rohit and Kohli can rediscover their form and rhythm ahead of a crucial phase for Indian cricket.