In the first ODI between Australia and India, Mitchell Starc set up Virat Kohli beautifully and dismissed him for an eight-ball duck, but that wasn’t the highlight of his spell. Instead, it was a delivery to Rohit Sharma that took the internet by storm — Starc’s very first ball to the Indian skipper was clocked at a staggering 176.5 kmph, possibly the fastest ever recorded in ODI history.The speed gun graphic displayed a staggering 176.5 kph (109 mph), but it was clearly an error. Thankfully, other broadcasters’ graphics later confirmed the actual speed to be 140.8 kph (just over 87 mph) — right around Starc’s usual pace.
Indian veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were on the receiving end after their underwhelming show in the first ODI of the three-match series against Australia. The duo walked out to bat in Perth after seven months.The veterans, who returned to international cricket for the first time since India’s victory at the Champions Trophy earlier this March, gave plenty of reasons for fans and experts to feel disappointed with their rough show.
Rohit Sharma (Screengrab)
Opening the innings after being put to bat first, Rohit scored only eight runs off 14 balls before Josh Hazlewood dismissed him. After the former Indian captain’s disappointing innings, all eyes were on Kohli, as fans hoped he would help India recover after an early loss.However, Kohli also failed to deliver and was dismissed cheaply for an eight-ball duck. It was the first time Kohli had ever been dismissed for no score in ODI cricket in Australia.
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“Never easy when you lose three wickets in the powerplay, you’re always trying to play catch-up. There were a lot of learnings and positives as well,” said Gill after the match.This was India’s first defeat in ODIs in 2025, bringing their run of eight successive wins to an end.
