India team's return to ODI match, which was highly anticipated, against Australia at the Optus Stadium ended in disappointment as the visitors suffered due to rain interruptions and inconsistent batting performance. India could not set a challenging total and had to settle for 136/9 in 26 overs.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the two most experienced players from the side, didn't get runs that made a difference. A significant point from the match was the reaction of head coach Gautam Gambhir when Shreyas Iyer got out. This event became a talking point among cricket fans and analysts very quickly.
It was a defining moment in the game when Iyer was dismissed in the 14th over. The batter of the Indian side against Josh Hazlewood was a ball that suddenly rose sharply and hit his body. Iyer tried to glance it fine but only got an edge to the wicketkeeper Josh Philippe, who got a very simple catch behind the stumps.
Gautam Gambhir was very much out of tune with this and, he was seen going over the incident with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak. It was noticed that short-pitched delivery is a weapon that Hazlewood has used very successfully against Iyer, yet this is the same Iyer who was instrumental in India's victory at the Champions Trophy 2025. The whole episode has set off discussions again on his technique when facing fast bowlers on bouncy Australian tracks. Watch the reaction here...
pic.twitter.com/QjGte0Q4pw— Nihari Korma (@NihariVsKorma) October 19, 2025
Also Read | 'Kitne all-rounders chahiye?’: Ashwin blasts Gambhir and Co. over India’s selection after Perth ODI
, and Shreyas Iyer added 11 before getting dismissed. Among other things, it was worth mentioning that Kohli's zero was his first time in Australia. While performing a brief stay at the crease, Rohit hit a straight drive off Mitchell Starc that was a momentary reminder of his class.
During the post-match presentation, Shubman Gill talked about the problems that the team had:
"When you lose three wickets in the powerplay, you're always trying to play a catch-up game (on the rain delays and the poor start). A lot of learnings for us from this game and a lot of positives for us as well. We were defending 130 and we took the game, not till the very end, but pretty deep. We were very satisfied with that. We are very fortunate (on the crowd support). The fans turned up in huge numbers and hopefully they'll be able to cheer us on at Adelaide as well."
Standing out as the top performer for India, KL Rahul scored 38 runs off 30 balls. His calm innings against Australia's pace attack manifested in excellent timing and adaptability, especially with his straight drives and controlled pulls. Together with Axar Patel, Rahul built a 39-run partnership for the fifth wicket, a small resistance before India bowling brought about the end of their innings.
The DLS method set a revised target of 131 for Australia, and they went after it with ease, leaving seven wickets in hand. Mitchell Marsh was the mainstay of the innings as he scored an unbroken 46, and thus, he took his side to their destination in quite an efficient manner. The drop-in wickets at the Optus Stadium that are known for offering extra bounce and seam have played right into the hands of the home side's Perth pace attack and so India have once again been exposed to their problems on lively tracks.
India, after suffering this loss, will be looking to quickly regroup and get their batting department in order for the next match in the series.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
Find the best of Al News in one place, specially curated for you every weekend.
Stay on top of the latest tech trends and biggest startup news.