NEW DELHI: A lot of anticipation surrounded the first ODI in Perth, which India lost by seven wickets (DLS), as two of the game’s stalwarts, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, returned to the side after months. Both players had already retired from T20Is and Tests, making their comeback in the highly anticipated series opener against Australia at Optus Stadium even more significant. For Kohli, it marked his first ODI appearance since lifting the Champions Trophy on March 9 in Dubai.
Virat was in a jovial mood from the start, interacting with teammates, sharing laughs, and cracking jokes. Ahead of the match, during the national anthem, he stopped and asked captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer to lead the team and stand first in the line.However, Kohli’s return ended in disappointing fashion, as he was dismissed for a duck.
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Watch the video here Australia’s spin-bowling all-rounder Cooper Connolly dived to his left to complete the catch at point. Mitchell Starc thus became the second bowler to dismiss Kohli for a duck twice across all internationals, after James Anderson.Before Kohli’s exit, Rohit Sharma’s eagerly awaited comeback was short-lived. Making his 500th international appearance for India, Rohit was dismissed for eight runs by Josh Hazlewood after edging the ball to second slip, where debutant Matthew Renshaw took the catch.India now turn their attention to the second ODI against Australia, scheduled for Thursday at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, hoping to bounce back and level the series after a tough start in Perth.
