Stand-in captain Mitchell Marsh showcased exceptional form, remaining unbeaten on 46 to guide Australia past India by seven wickets in Sunday’s rain-affected opening one-day international at Perth Stadium.
India struggled to 136-9 across 26 overs amid multiple rain interruptions, leaving Australia a revised target of 131 runs. The hosts comfortably reached their goal in 21.1 overs, claiming an early series advantage.
Legendary Duo’s Disappointing Return
The 42,423-strong crowd—dominated by Indian supporters—eagerly anticipated the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, both making their first national appearance since March’s Champions Trophy triumph. The veteran pair had stepped away from other formats to focus on the 2027 World Cup campaign.
However, their comebacks proved underwhelming against Australia’s formidable pace attack. Rohit managed just eight runs before edging Josh Hazlewood to second slip, while Kohli departed for a duck, cutting Mitchell Starc directly to Cooper Connolly at backward point.
“Securing early wickets against world-class batsmen makes a crucial difference in limited-overs cricket,” spinner Matthew Kuhnemann remarked after claiming 2-26.
Indian Batting Collapse Continues
New ODI captain Shubman Gill (10) added to India’s woes by glancing Nathan Ellis to wicketkeeper Josh Philippe, leaving the visitors floundering at 37-3 before a two-hour rain delay. Shreyas Iyer (11) briefly threatened before falling to Hazlewood.
Axar Patel (31) and KL Rahul (38) mounted resistance, while Nitish Kumar Reddy contributed a brisk 19 off 11 deliveries, but India’s total remained insufficient.
Marsh Dominates Australian Chase
Player-of-the-match Marsh launched Australia’s pursuit emphatically, smashing three sixes while continuing his excellent run against South Africa and New Zealand. Josh Philippe contributed an aggressive 37 on his first ODI appearance since 2021, before Matt Renshaw (21 not out) secured victory.
The series continues Thursday in Adelaide before concluding Saturday in Sydney.
