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Rohit Sharma flops on ODI return as specialist batter after being stripped of captaincy, departs for mere 8 vs Australia
In Perth, playing his first match for India since the 2025 Champions Trophy, Rohit Sharma lasted just 14 balls against Australia.
Rohit Sharma failed to make an impact with the bat on his return to international cricket and registered a single-digit score to resume his career as a specialist batter following his removal from captaincy. The experienced opener appeared unsettled against Australia’s Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, ultimately falling to the latter.
In Perth, playing his first match for India since the 2025 Champions Trophy, Rohit lasted just 14 balls. On the fourth ball of the fourth over, Hazlewood delivered a perfect ball on the fifth stump channel. Rohit couldn't resist it and attempted a cover drive, but edged it to slip, where Matt Renshaw took a straightforward catch. The former skipper scored just eight runs, marking an underwhelming return to Indian colours.
The 39-year-old, playing his 500th international match, endured a forgettable outing with the bat, immediately drawing scrutiny. Having retired from Tests and T20Is, Rohit now focuses solely on ODIs, but questions linger over his long-term future in the 50-over format, as Sunday's knock will only make things difficult for him.
Meanwhile, he became the fifth Indian player to achieve this milestone, following Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Rahul Dravid. He needed 54 more runs to pip former captain Sourav Ganguly (11,221 runs) to become India's third-highest ODI run-getter, but he only managed to get four.
Check India vs Australia 1st ODI Live Score and Updates
Earlier, India handed a debut to Nitish Kumar Reddy in the series opener Down Under, with Rohit presenting the cap to the young all-rounder. Australia, meanwhile, fielded a refreshed lineup, including Matt Renshaw, wicketkeeper-batter Josh Philippe, and newcomers Mitch Owen and Cooper Connolly in a revamped middle order.
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Australia opt to bowl in overcast conditions
Newly-appointed India skipper Shubman Gill emphasised the importance of mental preparation ahead of India’s ODI series in Australia. He highlighted the team’s strong combination of experienced stars and young talent, praised practice sessions for adapting to local conditions, and noted Nitish Kumar Reddy’s debut along with a balanced squad setup.
"It's all about getting mentally ready. Most of the players - we were playing in India and then coming and travelling here together for a couple of days of practice. So, I think we're in a good mental space. The practice sessions definitely help adjusting on the kind of surfaces that you play. We are in good shape. We have got a great combination of experienced players and some of the gun players that we have in our team. Nitish Reddy makes his debut and we're going with three fast bowlers and three all-rounders," Gill said at the toss.
