The much-anticipated return of batting stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to India’s ODI squad was shattered in a dramatic early collapse at the Optus Stadium in the first match of the series against Australia. Both veterans, playing their first international game since the Champions Trophy final earlier this year, fell for single-digit scores, leaving the visiting side reeling at 25/3 before rain temporarily halted play.
The excitement surrounding the return of the ‘Ro-Ko’ duo, now one-format specialists, quickly soured as Australia’s pace attack, led by Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, exploited the pace and bounce of the Perth wicket.
Disappointment on Debut Under Gill’s Captaincy
The collapse began with Rohit Sharma (8 off 14 balls), who was dismissed in the 4th over after edging a Josh Hazlewood delivery to Matt Renshaw at slip. The reception for the next batter, Virat Kohli, was massive, but his stay at the crease was brief and painful. Kohli was dismissed for a rare 8-ball duck, nicking a delivery from Mitchell Starc to Cooper Connolly in the slips in the 7th over. New ODI skipper Shubman Gill soon followed, caught behind for 10, leaving the Indian innings in tatters.
The score of 25/3 in just $8.1$ overs marked one of India’s worst starts in a major ODI match in recent memory, placing immense pressure on the middle order, with Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel at the crease when the skies opened up.
Social Media Erupts in Frustration
Fans, many of whom tuned in early on a Sunday morning to witness the comeback, took to social media to express their disappointment, turning frustration into viral memes.
One fan captured the sentiment with a pointed post: “woke up at 8am on a sunday only to watch rohit 8(14) and kohli 0(8)” accompanied by a meme showing utter disbelief. Another user lamented the ruined holiday: “Waited so long for Rohit – Kohli Comeback,” with an image dramatically titled ‘Sunday barbaad bhaisaab’ (Sunday is ruined, brother).
The poor showing also ignited the ongoing debate around the veterans’ future, with one user noting: “The pre-match PR for Rohit and Kohli lasted way longer than their combined innings. This is why our evolution in red ball cricket makes many fan clubs angry.” The early failures led to a torrent of sarcastic posts, including several memes about Head Coach Gautam Gambhir’s reaction in the dressing room.
With the team under the leadership of new ODI captain Shubman Gill, the early struggles of the experienced pair will only intensify the scrutiny on their roles as India look ahead to the 2027 World Cup. The onus now falls on the rest of the batting line-up to rescue the innings from a disastrous start.