Rohit Sharma’s defiant 73 went in vain as India surrendered the three-match ODI series against Australia after losing the second game by two wickets here on Thursday (October 23, 2025), a setback that will reignite the debate on the proven match-winner Kuldeep Yadav’s omission from the playing XI.

Under pressure, Rohit mixed grit with grace in a 97-ball knock on a spicy track that formed the cornerstone of India’s total of 264 for 9 which was at least 25 short of what should have been a par-score.

In reply, Australia struggled against Indian spinners but with Nitish Reddy being shoe-horned as a multi-skilled player instead of a genuine match-winner in Kuldeep, the visitors paid the price in a close situation.

Cooper Connolly (61 not out off 53 balls) and Mitchell Owen (36 off 23 balls), two cricketers, who are also appearing for IPL auditions, flayed the pacers and spinners alike as Australia survived a late collapse to canter home in 46.2 overs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three match series.

The duo added 59 in just 6.3 overs to end Australia’s three-series losing streak in the format. The ongoing rubber will end in Canberra with the inconsequential third ODI on October 25.

Connolly, who was recently in Kanpur for an ‘A’ series, brought back memories of a certain Michael Bevan to finish the match by finding the gaps with ease in a pressure-cooker scenario.

In the process he also exposed how difficult it could get for India in the 2027 World Cup if the obsession with all-rounders is not reconsidered.

Reddy, coming in at No.8, scored 8 off 10 balls and gave 24 in three overs although in his defence, Axar Patel dropped a sitter offered by Matthew Short (74), who laid the foundation for Australia’s victory.

However, the absence of Kuldeep was felt more than ever when the Australian batters struggled against the two finger spinners.

Axar Patel (1/52 in 10 overs) just slowed the pace and shortened the length as Matt Renshaw (30) gave the charge to be bowled.

At the other end, Washington Sundar (2/37) had an impatient Alex Carey (9) trying to sweep and getting bowled in the process.

However, once the burly Mitchell Owen came into the scene, he smashed the daylights out of Harshit Rana (2/59 in 8 overs) to tilt the game decisively in favour of Australia.

Earlier, the Indian innings was about Rohit’s determination and he had to survive a lot of anxious moments in the Powerplay when Josh Hazlewood (0/29 in 10 overs, including two maidens) made the ball talk.

There was a point when Rohit had played 17 consecutive dot balls off Hazlewood and both him and Iyer looked overtly cautious due to the underlying moisture and lateral movement.

While Rohit fought, Virat Kohli was dismissed without scoring for a second consecutive game.

He was shaping for an outswinger but Xavier Bartlett got one to move in sharply after pitching and the maestro was caught plumb in front.

While leaving the ground, he acknowledged the fans at Adelaide, a venue where he has scored multiple Test hundreds and a World Cup century against Pakistan.

For Rohit, the first 50-odd balls were about consolidation and keeping the bat close to his body, trying to leave the deliveries on the length and taking a few on the body.

The only positive shot in that phase was a flicked boundary over square leg off Mitchell Starc.

The first time one got a glimpse of vintage Rohit was when he played back-to-back customary pick-up pulls off Mitchell Owen’s friendly medium pacers.

India got 17 from that over and with Iyer also rotating the strike with an upright stance, the scoreboard suddenly saw movement and momentum.

The innings was, however, far from silken smooth.

It was about a veteran, who wanted to make his naysayers eat humble pie. He was ready to grind it out and look ugly initially before eventually opening up.

The 2027 World Cup is still far but what Rohit intended to prove was that there is still some fuel left in the tank.

Once the initial phase was negotiated, Rohit didn’t look in any kind of discomfort. The slog sweep and inside out boundaries off Zampa reminded one of his salad days.

There was enough time for a 33rd ODI hundred but the swivel off his hips while trying to deposit Starc over the square leg boundary became his undoing.

While Rohit got much-needed breathing space, Kohli continued to be under pressure and left the ground raising his fist for the Adelaide spectators who probably saw the last of him.

It is not the first time that Kohli has scored consecutive ducks, but it seems that the intensity that added to his legend has diminished considerably.

Published – October 23, 2025 08:56 am IST

India’s Virat Kohli walks off after being dismissed by Australia’s Mitchell Starc during the one day international cricket match between Australia and India in Perth Australia, on October 19, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP

Seasoned off-spinner R Ashwin on September 18 made a comeback to the Indian ODI team for the three-match series against Australia and will be competing for a potential World Cup berth with Washington Sundar if Axar Patel doesn’t get fit in time for the global event.

Senior players including skipper Rohit Sharma, senior batter Virat Kohli, all-rounder Hardik Pandya and in-form spinner Kuldeep Yadav were rested from the first two games, giving them a chance to get mentally fresh for the mega event.

K L Rahul will lead the side in the first two games against Australia before Rohit returns to lead a full strength squad in the third and final ODI ahead of the World Cup beginning October 5. The squad for the third game is effectively the 15 picked for World Cup and Ashwin and Washington.

Ashwin, who last played an ODI back in January 2022 in South Africa, could be a last minute addition to the World Cup side if Axar doesn’t get fit before the September 28 deadline set by the International Cricket Council.

Axar had sustained a quadriceps tear during the recently held Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and missed the final against Sri Lanka on Sunday.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said both Ashwin and Washington are in contention for the replacement slot if Axar doesn’t recover in time.

“There are couple of guys anyways, him and Washington. Look basically, what is being made known to us about Axar’s injury is that he should be okay and call we will make it once we know that but it leaves us with option to check these guys if they need to go that way,” Agarkar told the media during a virtual session.

“If the need arises, we will look at that way but I don’t think there is any need to speculate right now because we are hoping that Axar is fit,” he added.

When the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel had picked the 15-man squad for the World Cup at home earlier this month, questions over non selection of an off-spinner were raised with some of the opposition side’s top order having multiple left-handers.

After the squad announcement on Monday, captain Rohit was asked why Ashwin was not part of the Asia Cup squad if he was in the scheme of things. The India skipper responded by saying that a proven performer like Ashwin can be straightaway drafted into the team if the need arises.

Ashwin, who was sidelined from the India ODI set up following the Champions 2017 Trophy, made a recall to the side in January last year for the ODI series in South Africa. He made his comeback after four and a half years only to be sidelined again. Ashwin’s T20 career has also had a similar trajectory with the 37-year-old being left out of the team following the World Cup in Australia last year. Injury-prone Shreyas Iyer, who could only play two games in the Asia Cup due to a back spasm, is also available for all three ODIs.

“He got through his batting programme fine and at the moment, he is fit. We hope that he gets through all these three games,” said Agarkar.

The first ODI will be played in Mohali on September 22, second in Indore on September 24 and third in Rajkot on September 27. Following that, India will their two World Cup warm-up games against England and Netherlands on September 30 and October 3 in Guwahati and Trivandrum before playing their tournament opener against Australia in Chennai on October 8.

Squad for the first two ODIs:

KL Rahul (captain), Ravindra Jadeja (vice-captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

Squad for third ODI:

Rohit Sharma (captain), Hardik Pandya, (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel (subject to fitness), Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohammed Siraj.