India lost by seven wickets to Australia in Perth on October 19
Stand-in skipper Shubman Gill admitted it was tough after early wickets
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were both dismissed in powerplay
Mitchell Marsh praised young talent in the Australian side
India lost their first ODI of 2025 against Australia by seven wickets at Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday, October 19. Stand-in skipper Shubman Gill admitted his side found it difficult to recover after losing three early wickets.
Despite the challenges, the Indian cricket team took the game pretty deep, even though it brought an end to their impressive eight-match winning streak to an end. This Perth ODI also marked India's inaugural defeat of 2025.
India's innings faltered early as openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, along with batting stalwart Virat Kohli, fell in the powerplay overs. This left the tourists unable to build momentum, leading to a seven-wicket loss in the rain-shortened match.
Shubman Gill acknowledged the struggle faced by the visitors. "Never easy, when you lose three wickets in the powerplay, you're always trying to play catch-up," he said. "There were a lot of learnings and positives as well."
Kohli, registering a duck, and Sharma, with 8 runs, combined for just 22 balls. Australia seized the early advantage, reducing India to 25/3 by the ninth over.
However, Gill emphasised that India made Australia earn their victory. He added, "Defending 130 in 26 odd overs, we took the game pretty deep, so we're satisfied with that."
Gill also noted the vibrant fan support at stadiums, expressing hope it would spur the team on. "We're very fortunate that wherever we play, fans turn up in huge numbers," he said. "Hopefully, they'll be able to cheer us on at Adelaide as well."
Marsh Applauds Young Talent In DLS Victory
Australian skipper Mitchell Marsh guided his side to victory, contributing an unbeaten 46 runs. Australia successfully chased the DLS target of 131 with 29 balls remaining. Marsh acknowledged the weather's effect on the game, extending his thanks to the crowd that "stuck around".
Marsh stated, "I know these days can be really frustrating, but nice to get a win," he said. "It's always nice to win at home. I love playing for Australia."
He observed that the ball "was swinging around a little bit". Marsh further explained, "We knew that was going to be the case for both teams, so a little bit of a challenge to get through there."
The Aussie captain conveyed his pride in his "young guys" for their assertive approach, highlighting that they "took the game on".
Marsh commended Josh Philippe, 28, who, playing only his third ODI, scored 37 runs off 29 balls. Philippe shared a crucial 55-run partnership with Marsh, and Marsh remarked that Philippe "made it look very easy".
"It's fun to get young kids coming in. They're not necessarily young kids, the young guys coming in," Marsh added. "You just want them to have fun and enjoy it."
The captain also stressed the importance of relishing the crowd experience: "In one-day cricket, we don't get to play in front of the big crowds all the time, so I said them to really enjoy it."
(With PTI Inputs)
