Perth: Team India’s much-anticipated ODI campaign under Shubman Gill’s captaincy began on a sour note as Australia clinched a commanding seven-wicket victory in a rain-disrupted first ODI at Perth’s Optus Stadium.
The match, reduced to 26 overs per side due to persistent showers, saw India’s batting crumble under Australia’s fiery pace attack, marking the hosts’ first-ever ODI win at this venue.
India, batting first after losing the toss, struggled to find rhythm on a lively Perth pitch. The much-hyped return of Rohit Sharma (8) and Virat Kohli (0) fizzled out, with Josh Hazlewood (2/20) and Mitchell Starc (1/22) dismantling the top order within six overs. Captain Shubman Gill (10) and Shreyas Iyer (11) also fell cheaply, leaving India reeling at 45/4. KL Rahul (38) and Axar Patel (31) offered some resistance with a 39-run stand, while Nitish Kumar Reddy’s unbeaten 19 helped India limp to 136/9. Australia’s debutants, Matthew Kuhnemann and Mitch Owen, chipped in with two wickets each.
Chasing a DLS-adjusted target of 131, Australia lost Travis Head early but were steered by captain Mitchell Marsh’s unbeaten 46, which included three sixes in three overs. A brisk 55-run partnership with Josh Philippe (37) and an unbeaten stand with debutant Matt Renshaw (21) sealed the chase in just 21.1 overs. India’s bowlers, led by Arshdeep Singh, failed to disrupt Australia’s momentum.
The defeat snapped India’s eight-match ODI winning streak, exposing frailties in their top order. With the series now at 1-0, Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir face pressure to regroup before the second ODI in Adelaide on October 23. For Australia, the win signals a strong start despite missing senior players, setting the stage for a thrilling series.