![Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli Fall to Outside Edges off Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc in AUS vs IND 1st ODI [WATCH].](https://cdn.cricxtasy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Rohit-Sharma-Virat-Kohli-Fall-to-Outside-Edges-off-Josh-Hazlewood-and-Mitchell-Starc-in-AUS-vs-IND-1st-ODI-WATCH-1.png)
It was a false start for the Indian duo.
Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc gave a perfect start to Australia by dismissing Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, respectively. Both of them were immaculate with their lines and lengths, ensuring a return to the international setup wasn’t ideal for the legendary Indian duo.
Hazlewood kept bowling hard lengths just outside the off-stump line, and Rohit never looked settled at the crease. Eventually, the bowler shortened his length a bit more, and Rohit poked outside the off stump, only to get an outside edge towards the second slip, as Matt Renshaw took his maiden ODI catch.
Meanwhile, Kohli was undone by an age-old issue in the channel, as Starc induced a big drive. He bowled a length delivery outside the off-stump line, to which the batter got an outside edge, which flew straight to the point, where Cooper Connolly took an aerobic catch.
For Kohli, this was a familiar dismissal, something that led to his Test retirement earlier this year, and he registered his first ODI duck in Australia. Starc knew he could be vulnerable early on, especially on a deck as spicy as in Perth, and exploited the loophole when the batter wanted to take the pressure back on the opponent.
After winning the toss, Australia opted to bowl first on a treacherous Perth surface, and the bowlers gave them precisely what they wanted with the new ball. Hazlewood and Starc were accurate from the start and gave absolutely nothing to Indian batters, who were clearly unprepared for such conditions.
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After losing Rohit and Kohli early, the newly appointed captain, Shubman Gill, couldn’t last long either and was out in the worst possible way. Nathan Ellis bowled a loose delivery down the leg side, to which Gill looked to tickle fine but could only get a thin edge.
The ball flew straight to the wicketkeeper, and India were reduced to 25/3 in 8.1 overs, with the top three back in the hut. Gill would be disappointed with his mode of dismissal because that was an innocuous ball and should have earned a boundary rather than dismissal.
Axar Patel has been promoted ahead of KL Rahul at No.5, and he must stitch a partnership with new vice-captain Shreyas Iyer. India must target at least 250 in the first innings, as the pitch might become slightly better later on.
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