Ricky Ponting Hits Back At Virat Kohli And Rohit Sharma's Critics After Disappointing Show In Perth, Hails Ex-Skipper As Greatest ODI Player

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma couldn't get going in the first India vs Australia ODI match that was played at the Perth Stadium. The star duo were returning to play for India after seven months, and big things were expected out of them.

Rohit Sharma was dismissed for 8 runs off 14 balls, whereas Virat Kohli failed to open his account despite playing 8 deliveries. In a rain-curtailed match, India managed to score 136 runs off 26 overs, and Australia defeated them by 7 wickets (DLS).

Ricky Ponting Defends Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are being criticized for their performance, but no top-order Indian batsmen could get going. Apart from Rohit and Virat, Shubman Gill was dismissed for 10 runs off 18 balls, and Shreyas Iyer was dismissed for 11 runs off 24 balls. Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has come out in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's defense and had asked people not to write the champions off.

"I'd expect to see both those guys bounce back pretty quickly. They'll find ways to contribute and win matches for their team, and if they do that, they'll almost certainly be part of that 2027 World Cup squad. You never write off champion players. These two have been among the very best, and I've said before that I consider Virat the greatest 50-over player I've ever seen. You don't write them off," said Ricky Ponting while speaking on the ICC Review.

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The next India vs Australia ODI game will be played at the Adelaide Oval on October 23, 2025. Australia currently lead the three-match ODI series 1-0.

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Indian Team Travel To Adelaide Ahead Of 2nd ODI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently shared a video of the players of the Indian team travelling to Adelaide ahead of the second ODI. The video also showcases fans welcoming the Indian team ahead of the second ODI. All eyes will be on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the second ODI.