IND vs AUS 1st ODI: Hosts drub Men in Blue to kick off the white-ball series
Taking on the 50-over format after a hiatus that stretched over seven months, the Men in Blue struggled to get back into rhythm. All eyes were on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as Indian fans eagerly awaited the comeback of their favourites. However, the IND vs AUS 1st ODI in Perth dashed hopes of an ideal return. The early fall of Ro-Ko was a hint of the fate that the entire visiting unit was to face in the gloomy conditions at the Optus Stadium. The rain-curbed India vs Australia fixture ended with the hosts claiming their first-ever ODI win at the venue.
A rain affected game goes Australia's way. On to the next one. 🏟#AUSvIND 👉 2nd ODI 👉 23rd OCT, THURSDAY, 8 AM onwards pic.twitter.com/YiytjhSWkt
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) October 19, 2025
Kangaroos beat Men in Blue by 7 wickets in the rain-marred IND vs AUS 1st ODI in Perth
The IND vs AUS 1st ODI saw the Men in Blue flounder in their attempt to extend their streak of remaining unbeaten across eight consecutive ODIs. The run included their unbeaten campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy, where they beat Australia in the semi-final before eventually lifting the title. However, as the Kangaroos troubled the batting order under overcast conditions, the record slipped from India’s grasp, and the hosts marked the Optus Stadium as their own by winning their maiden ODI at the venue in their fourth attempt.
The hype around the India vs Australia ODI series was mainly centred on the return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The 1st ODI against the Kangaroos marked their comeback in Indian blues after as many as 223 days. The whole of India tuned in early on the morning of 19 October to watch their favourites take the Perth turf. However, the return did not live up to the hype surrounding the much-anticipated showdown.
Rohit Sharma walked off for just 8 off 14 against Josh Hazlewood, as the Kangaroos clinched an early breakthrough after Mitchell Marsh opted to bowl first. With Rohit departing early, Virat Kohli came in to partner Shubman Gill, the newly crowned India ODI captain. However, the struggle only worsened as Kohli was dismissed by Mitchell Starc for an eight-ball duck. Gill couldn’t improve the show either, falling for just 10 to Nathan Ellis before rain came to the visitors’ rescue, halting play with India at 25 for 3.
The downpour consistently hindered the first innings, with the game first being reduced to 49 overs, then 32, and ultimately to a 26-over affair. During the brief windows that the rain provided, India saw Shreyas Iyer fall for just 11 before Axar Patel and KL Rahul brought some fight to the contest. Riding on Rahul’s 38 off 31 and Patel’s 31 off 38, India managed to post 136 on the board.
The DLS method then set 131 runs as the target for the hosts. Even though Arshdeep Singh trapped Travis Head fairly early in the chase, the 131-run target was never going to be a tough task for the Kangaroos. Mitchell Marsh headlined the final innings, scoring an unbeaten 46 off 52, and drove it home with a brilliant 37 off 29 from Josh Philippe. The IND vs AUS 1st ODI emerged as a wake-up call for the Men in Blue, who are still finding their mojo under the new leadership of Shubman Gill. With a shadow of doubt over their future, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be eager to turn things around when the next India vs Australia ODI comes around.
