Pace and precision: Australia blow India away in rain‑hit Perth opener

Cricbuzz’s match report on the same Perth ODI provided detailed analysis of how Australia executed their game plan. Under brooding skies, Hazlewood and Starc pinned India to 136 for 9 and later chased a DLS‑adjusted target of 131 with ease. Shubman Gill’s ODI captaincy debut mirrored his Test captaincy bow in Leeds earlier in the year: he lost the toss, his top order collapsed, and India were comprehensively beaten. Hazlewood’s hard lengths dismissed Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer, while Starc’s late swing accounted for Kohli, giving him his first ODI duck in Australia. Debutant Mitchell Owen and Matthew Kuhnemann chipped in with wickets as India faltered in the rain‑adjusted innings.

The report highlighted how interruptions affected momentum. Rain reduced the match to 26 overs per side after four separate delays. India lost wickets each time play resumed, suggesting difficulty resetting mentally. Axar Patel’s 31 and KL Rahul’s 38 were the only bright spots. Australia’s chase, in contrast, was efficient. Captain Mitchell Marsh smashed Arshdeep Singh for six early and remained unbeaten on 46. The match marked Josh Philippe’s return to the ODI side, and he responded with a brisk 37. Gill’s decision to use spin early in Australia’s chase backfired as Axar conceded boundaries.

With the series quickly moving on, the article urged India to recalibrate. They needed to adjust to Australian conditions and rectify defensive batting tendencies. For Australia, the win provided an early 1‑0 lead and psychological advantage. The match emphasised how unpredictable weather and conditions can shape white‑ball cricket and how teams with adaptability and depth often prevail.