Perth ODI Woes: Virat Kohli Scores 0, Rohit Sharma Struggles in Comeback

It was a tough Sunday for Indian cricket fans as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli struggled on their much-anticipated ODI comebacks, both dismissed cheaply.

In the series opener against Australia at Optus Stadium, Perth. Rohit, returning after a six-month break from international cricket, managed just 8 runs off 14 balls, while Kohli was out for a duck off eight deliveries — his first in ODIs in Australia.

Australia’s pace attack, led by Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, struck early on a lively Perth pitch, exploiting bounce and pace to put India on the back foot. Rohit looked uneasy from the start, struggling to handle the extra bounce. His only boundary came from a crisp straight drive before Hazlewood delivered a length ball that lifted sharply, inducing an outside edge to the slip cordon where Matt Renshaw took the catch.

Kohli, though initially composed, fell to a loose shot, chasing a wide Starc delivery and giving a simple catch to point. India’s top-order woes continued as Shubman Gill, leading the ODI side for the first time, was dismissed for 10. By the eighth over, India were in deep trouble at 25 for 3, marking the lowest collective score for the top three since the 2019 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand.

Why Rohit and Kohli Struggled

Both Rohit and Kohli failed to get settled at the crease after seven months away from ODIs. Rohit attempted an aggressive approach, looking to take on Hazlewood early, but the high-risk strategy backfired. Kohli displayed off-side vulnerability similar to what was seen during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year, mistiming a fuller delivery from Starc to offer a simple catch at point.

Former Australian captain Mark Taylor criticized the approach of the senior batters, noting that they did not give themselves enough time to adjust to conditions after a long layoff. Both players had been preparing extensively — Rohit under former assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, and Kohli in London — but lacked match practice before the series.

While the failures in Perth may not be catastrophic, both Rohit and Kohli will need to regain form quickly. With Tests and T20Is behind them, ODIs are their only international format, and India has fewer than 25 ODIs scheduled before the 2027 World Cup. Their performances will be closely monitored by selectors and team management as they aim to stay competitive on the world stage.