India’s first One Day International (ODI) against Australia ended in disappointment, with the team losing by seven wickets. The match, held in Perth, was part of the limited-overs tour. It featured wet conditions that led to a curtailed 26-over contest on Sunday.
Match Overview
Despite the return of cricket stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, India’s batting lineup faltered. They managed to post only 136 runs for nine wickets. Australia’s chase was successful, as they reached the target comfortably with seven wickets to spare.
Batting Performance
The top order, which included Sharma, Shubman Gill, Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer, struggled to make significant contributions. However, there were notable performances from:
- KL Rahul: 38 runs
- Axar Patel: 31 runs
Criticism of Batting Order
Former cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth voiced strong opinions about the batting order decisions. He criticized the placement of KL Rahul and suggested he should bat higher in the lineup.
Srikkanth emphasized, “KL Rahul should play ahead of Shreyas Iyer. It was an absurd decision.” He also expressed confusion over Axar Patel batting before Rahul, stating that putting a key player like Rahul lower in the order was unwise.
Rain-Impacted Strategy
Srikkanth pointed out that the weather conditions played a role in the match outcome. He explained that had India scored more runs, the DLS (Duckworth-Lewis-Stern) target could have favored them. He remarked on the importance of having a substantial score on the board. “India started to give up after 60 or 70 runs for two wickets,” he reflected.
Upcoming Matches
The second ODI between India and Australia is set for Thursday, providing an opportunity for India to reassess and improve their strategy.
