Australia set 131 to win in rain reduced first ODI against India in Perth

Virat Kohli’s final international innings in Perth ended in shock disappointment, with the batting superstar falling for a duck as India were restricted to 9-136 in rain-shortened innings.

Several delays hampered the highly-anticipated contest, with the game reduced to 26 overs a side and the hosts needing a revised total of 131 to win.

After being sent into bat, the Indian top order was rattled by Australia’s fast bowling outfit with Kohli and fellow veteran Rohit Sharma failing to fire at Optus Stadium.

Hordes of Indian fans flocked to the venue to watch what is likely to be the last international appearance in Western Australia for Kohli and Sharma, who have already retired from the other two formats.

They were left shocked, however, when both fell cheaply alongside new captain Shubman Gill as the hosts got off to a perfect start in the three-match series.

Methodical seamer Josh Hazlewood (2-20 off seven overs) got the wicket of Sharma for only eight, catching the former skipper’s outside edge with some extra bounce with debutant Matt Renshaw holding onto the catch at second slip.

A massive roar erupted moments later as Kohli strode to the crease but he would last only eight balls at the crease, drawn into a drive by Mitchell Starc (1-22 off six overs), with hometown boy Cooper Connolly taking a superb catch at backward point.

It left Gill to shoulder a lot of the top order hopes, and he looked up to the task, with two beautiful drives signalling his intent as the man to lead from the front.

He was the victim of some bad luck when he tickled the first ball of Nathan Ellis’ (1-29 off five) day down leg to wicketkeeper Josh Philippe for only 10 to leave the visitors teetering at 3-25.

Unfortunately, the rain hit after only 8.5 overs with play suspended for only a brief break as the sun poked through.

A heavier downpour and further break came after 11.5 overs, with India at 3-37 and the overs reduced even further.

It took the Australians only eight balls to strike again, with Philippe taking a blinding catch down the leg-side after Shreyas Iyer was hit on the glove by a rising delivery from Hazlewood for only 11.

Another two rain delays came, leaving KL Rahul and Axar Patel needing to up the ante when play finally resumed at 4.30pm.

They responded with a flurry of boundaries to excite the crowd, but their positive intent was their downfall.

The introduction of Matthew Kuhnemann (2-26 off four overs) broke the partnership, with Patel hauling out to long-on for 31.

Rahul boosted the score by taking to part-time spinner Matt Short, launching consecutive sixes down the ground.

Kuhnemann continued to threaten though, dismissing Washington Sundar (10) who tried to reverse sweep the spinner only to lose his leg stump.

Rahul’s impressive innings ended on 38 off 31 deliveries, with Mitch Owen getting the first wicket of his one-day international career courtesy of a Renshaw catch at long-on.

Owen wasn’t done yet though, sending Harshit Rana back to the dugout for one to finish with figures of 2-20 off three overs.

Arshdeep Singh was run out for a diamond duck at the start of the final over, before debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy (19 not out) hit two more sixes to give the visitors some hope.

TEAMS

Australia: Mitch Marsh (c), Travis Head, Matt Short, Josh Philippe (WK), Matt Renshaw, Cooper Connolly, Mitch Owen, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Josh Hazlewood.

India: Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (WK), Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.