New Delhi, Oct 19 (IANS) Indian veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were on the receiving end after their underwhelming show in the first ODI of the three-match series against Australia. The duo walked out to bat in Perth after seven months.

The veterans, who returned to international cricket for the first time since India’s victory at the Champions Trophy earlier this March, gave plenty of reasons for fans and experts to feel disappointed with their rough show .

Opening the innings after being put to bat first, Rohit scored only eight runs off 14 balls before Josh Hazlewood dismissed him. After the former Indian captain’s disappointing innings, all eyes were on Kohli, as fans hoped he would help India recover after an early loss.

However, Kohli also failed to deliver and was dismissed cheaply for an eight-ball duck. It was the first time Kohli has ever been dismissed for no score in ODI cricket in Australia.

Fans criticised the Indian stalwarts’ performances as they failed to make an impression, setting a cautious tone for India’s innings in the series opener. All the applause at the venue soon turned to silence as the hosts delivered major blows to the visitors.

“Kohli sahab 0 (8) and gets out fishing outside the off stump. My man is truly missing his favorite Test cricket,” a fan posted on X.

Another user said, “How it feels to wake up early on a Sunday morning just to watch Rohit score 8 (14), Kohli score 0 (8) & Gill score 10 (18), when I could finish that movie last night.”

“The buildup to the series lasted more than ROKO’s stay in the middle!!,” a fan wrote. Anothjer one added, “Rohit Sharma sacrificed his wicket so that fans can watch Virat Kohli. Most selfless cricketer of all time. RO-KO.”

“Never seen Rohit Sharma look so uncomfortable playing white ball in recent years. Ended up throwing his wicket, unfortunately. Really wanted to watch him bat long &pull those glamorous shots,” a user wrote.

“Rohit Sharma looked so ugly in his short innings & got out playing a nothing shot. If he fails in the next 2 ODIs, that could very well be it for him. IMO he should have retired on a high after winning the Champions Trophy.”

“Rohit Sharma on 8, Virat Kohli on 0 and Shubman Gill on 10, go out. What a great comeback and performance from all the players. The Indian cricket team is waving slowly,” wrote another fan.

“Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli today looked like they were competing in a new format, T10 seconds batting challenge. Rohit walked in like a storm, and went out like a light breeze. Bro swung the bat like he was trying to swat a mosquito, not hit a cricket ball. And Kohli? Man entered like a savior, left like a scam. Together, they gave more hope to the opposition than runs to India,” read a post from a fan.

An abrupt end to Rohit and Kohli’s long-awaited international return, combined with captain Shubman Gill’s early dismissal and ongoing rain delays, has placed immense pressure on the Indian team as they aim to reach a defendable total.

Team India ended the first powerplay at 26/3. The match, currently paused after 11.5 overs with the hosts at 37/3, is likely to face further rain delays due to the forecast conditions at the venue.

The game was initially reduced to 49 overs per innings and further shortened to 35 overs per innings.

–IANS

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