Australia Crush India in Perth as Marsh Shines and Gill’s Captaincy Debut Ends in Defeat
Mitchell Marsh ruined Shubman Gill’s ODI captaincy debut as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli struggled to make an impact in their much-anticipated return to international cricket.
On a damp afternoon at Optus Stadium, the series opener was cut to 26 overs per side after frequent rain interruptions. India managed just 136 for 9, collapsing to 45 for 4 against a relentless Australian new-ball attack led by Josh Hazlewood, much to the frustration of a crowd of 42,423.
When the weather finally cleared, Marsh guided Australia home with an unbeaten 46 off 52 balls, steering his side past the revised target of 131 in the 22nd over. ODI debutant Matt Renshaw, playing his first international white-ball match almost nine years after his Test debut, remained 21 not out.
Expectations were high for an aggressive start from Marsh and Travis Head, but batting under lights on a seaming pitch proved tricky. Head’s lean run continued as he slashed Arshdeep Singh straight to deep third, giving India early hope. Marsh began cautiously, scoring just two runs off his first nine balls before launching Arshdeep for a leg-side six. Once settled, he mixed power with control, only briefly shaken by a Mohammed Siraj bouncer that struck his helmet.
Australia didn’t have it all their way. Matt Short fell cheaply for 8, undone by left-arm spinner Axar Patel, who impressed as India’s standout performer with both bat and ball. Returning wicketkeeper Josh Philippe seized his opportunity, smashing 37 off 29 balls and showcasing sharp glove work behind the stumps.
For India, the return to ODI cricket after their Champions Trophy triumph in March was far from ideal. Constant rain interruptions broke rhythm and momentum, while the top order struggled to adjust to Australia’s relentless back-of-a-length bowling. Rohit’s scratchy 8 and Kohli’s eight-ball duck disappointed the sea of blue shirts in the stands.
Hazlewood was exceptional, exploiting the bounce with surgical precision to deliver a spell of 2 for 20 in seven overs, including 35 dot balls. Left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann and debutant Mitchell Owen also chipped in with two wickets apiece, as Australia maintained control throughout.
With overcast skies above—a rarity in Perth—Marsh had opted to bowl first despite minimal grass on the surface. Kohli, who has fond memories of the venue from his Test heroics in 2018 and 2024, looked composed in the nets but was quickly undone by the disciplined duo of Hazlewood and Starc. Hazlewood drew a thick edge off Kohli’s drive, brilliantly caught by Cooper Connolly at backward point, sending the crowd into a stunned silence. As Kohli walked off—possibly for the final time in Perth—some fans rose for a standing ovation.
Earlier, Rohit had been outfoxed by Hazlewood’s steep bounce, edging to second slip. The pressure then fell on Gill, who was fresh off a Test series win over West Indies. He showed glimpses of class with a crisp drive off Hazlewood but eventually flicked down the leg side to hand Nathan Ellis a wicket first ball, departing for 10.
Persistent drizzle led to the first rain-shortened ODI in Perth since 1983. After another brief restart, Shreyas Iyer gloved a short one from Hazlewood to Philippe, leaving India tottering at 45 for 4. KL Rahul and Axar Patel briefly revived the innings with counter-attacking strokes, thrilling the Indian fans with a burst of boundaries before Axar holed out to Kuhnemann.
Rahul’s pair of sixes and a late cameo from debutant Nitish Reddy provided some respectability to India’s total, but it wasn’t nearly enough. Australia’s chase, anchored by Marsh’s composure and Philippe’s fluency, sealed a comfortable win—spoiling Gill’s first outing as ODI captain and marking a forgettable return for India’s senior stars.