IND VS AUS 1st ODI: Australia thrash India in Perth to go 1-0 up in series

IND vs AUS 1st ODI: Australia have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against India after chasing down India’s target of 131 in 21.1 overs in a rain-interrupted game in Perth’s Optus Stadium. Mitchell Marsh was Australia’s rock with the bat, staying unbeaten on 46 off 52 balls at the end.

India, sent in to bat after losing the toss, faced multiple interruptions due to passing showers. Their innings was troubled from the start, with star batsmen Rohit Sharma (8) and Virat Kohli (0) failing on return, and captain Shubman Gill getting out leg before in the ninth over. The first rain break came shortly after, reducing the match to 49 overs per side.

Further delays made it worse for the visitors. The second break lasted nearly two hours, cutting the game to 35 overs each. A third stoppage brought it down to 32 overs, and the fourth and final one reduced it to just 26 overs per side. India managed 136/9, thanks to KL Rahul (38), Axar Patel (31), and Nitish Kumar Reddy’s late unbeaten 19. In reply, Australia lost Travis Head early to Arshdeep Singh, but Marsh hit an unbeaten 46 off 52 balls to secure Australia’s first ODI win at Optus Stadium in seven years. “The weather played its part today. Big thanks to the crowd that stayed. It can be frustrating, but winning at home is always special. I love playing for Australia,” Marsh said after being named Player of the Match.

Young Players Shine in Absence of Regular Stars

Australia’s team was missing several key players, including captain Pat Cummins, wicketkeeper Alex Carey, and spinner Adam Zampa. This gave opportunities to Josh Philippe (returning after four years), debutants Mitchell Owen, Matthew Renshaw, and Matthew Kuhnemann. Their contributions ended India’s eight-match ODI winning streak in 2025. Renshaw took three catches and scored an unbeaten 21, while Philippe made 37 runs. Kuhnemann dismissed Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, and Owen got KL Rahul and Harshit Rana, disrupting Shubman Gill’s ODI captaincy debut.

Marsh was proud of the youngsters, saying, “It was swinging a bit, and we knew it would be a challenge. Proud of how our young guys came out and led the game to a win.” Philippe and Marsh shared a 55-run third-wicket partnership. Philippe started carefully with 14 runs and then accelerated to 37 off 29 balls, including three fours and two sixes. After Philippe got out, Marsh battled cramps but stayed strong while Renshaw (21*) finished the match in style. Marsh encouraged the young players to enjoy the moment in front of 42,423 fans. “He made it look easy. It’s fun to see new guys playing. I told them to enjoy it in front of the crowd,” Marsh added.