AUS vs IND, 1st ODI: 5 Talking Points from India’s 7-Wicket Defeat to Australia in Perth

India lost the rain-hit first ODI in Perth to Australia by seven wickets. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli failed on return, the top order collapsed, Kuldeep Yadav’s omission sparked debate, and Shubman Gill’s captaincy debut ended in defeat.

Key Takeaways from India's Defeat to Australia in Perth

Team India suffered a seven-wicket defeat in a rain-marred first ODI of the three-match series against Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday, October 19. The Men in Blue locked horns with the reigning ODI world champions for the first time since the Champions Trophy 2025 final in March this year.

After posting a total of 136/9 in a rain-reduced 26 overs, Team India failed to defend it as Australia chased down the 131-run target (DLS method) with 4.5 overs spare. Skipper Mitchell Marsh led the hosts’ run chase with an unbeaten innings of 46 off 52 balls, while Josh Philippe and Matt Renshaw made contributions of 37 and 21*, respectively, to guide Australia to a comfortable seven-wicket victory.

For India, Arshdeep Singh (1/31), Axar Patel (1/19), and Washington Sundar (1/14) picked a wicket each, but not enough to stop Australia from reaching the target.

On that note, let’s take a look at five talking points from the Men in Blue’s defeat to Australia in the series opener.

1. Not an Ideal Return for Ro-Ko

After a seven-month hiatus, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returned to international cricket in the opening match of the three-match ODI series against Australia in Perth. There was much anticipation and excitement over their comeback, and both received a rousing welcome from the Indian crowd at Optus Stadium. Their last appearances in the Indian jersey were in the Champions Trophy 2025 final in March this year.

However, the Indian batting stalwarts could not live up to the hype of their return to international cricket as they both were dismissed cheaply in the Men in Blue’s innings. Rohit Sharma hit a boundary before he was dismissed for just 8 runs off 14 balls by Mitchell Starc. Virat Kohli struggled to get into his rhythm before he was removed by Starc for an 8-ball duck.

2. Kuldeep Yadav's Omission Sparks Debate

One of the major talking points from India’s defeat to Australia was the omission of Kuldeep Yadav from the playing XI for the opening ODI in Perth. The Indian spinner was expected to be picking in the Perth ODI, given his red-hot form this year. In white-ball cricket this year, Kuldeep Yadav picked 26 wickets, including two four-wicket hauls, at an average of 18.15 and an economy rate of 5.28 in 14 matches.

However, the left-arm spinner was left out of the playing XI as India went with three all-rounders in debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar. Kuldeep Yadav’s exclusion sparked debates on social media, with many expressing disappointment, questioning the team management’s decision to prioritize extra all-rounders over a proven match-winner in white-ball cricket.

3. Axar Patel and KL Rahul's Impactful Innings

Before the rain interruption, India were collapsed to 46/4, with the dismissals of Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, leaving KL Rahul and Axar Patel to stabilize the innings. After the match resumed with overs reduced to 26 from 32, the middle-order pair shifted gears and accelerated the scoring, putting together a vital 39-run stand for the fifth wicket before Axar was dismissed for 31 off 38 at 84/5.

Thereafter, KL Rahul turned into aggressive mode and played a crucial quickfire innings of 38 off 31 balls, including two sixes and as many fours, before he was removed by Mitchell Owen 123/7. Apart from Axar and Rahul, debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy also contributed significantly with an innings of 19 off 11 balls to help India post 136/9 on the board, but that was not enough for India to defend.

4. Top-Order Collapse Mirrors 2019 World Cup Semifinal Heartbreak

Team India’s top-order collapse has mirrored the 2019 World Cup semifinal defeat to New Zealand. In the 2019 World Cup semifinal, India’s top-order consisted of Rohit Sharma (1), KL Rahul (1), and Virat Kohli (1) scored three runs together, highlighting a similar early batting failure in the first ODI against Australia at Optus Stadium in Perth.

In the Perth opener, the 18 runs scored collectively by Rohit Sharma (8), Shubman Gill (10), and Virat Kohli (0) marked India’s lowest aggregate by their top three in a men’s ODI since the 2019 World Cup semifinal defeat to New Zealand. Rohit and Kohli’s return to international cricket was far from ideal, as their early dismissals added pressure on the middle order to carry on India’s innings.

5. Shubman Gill’s ODI Captaincy Debut Starts with Defeat

Shubman Gill became the youngest player to lead Team India in an ODI when he took the field in the first match of the series against Australia in Perth. However, it was not the start he would have hoped for, as India lost to the hosts by seven wickets, despite fighting innings from the middle-order batters. Gill lost the toss in his ODI captaincy debut, followed by his early dismissal and the quick fall of top-order wickets, which left India struggling to post a competitive total.

Eventually, Australia chased down the modest target with seven wickets in hand and 4.5 overs spare, handing Shubman Gill and Team India a challenging start to the three-match ODI series. Gill’s ODI captaincy debut defeat mirrors his Test captaincy debut loss against England at Headingley in Leeds earlier this year.