Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan shared his candid thoughts on India’s disappointing batting performance in the first ODI against Australia in Perth, highlighting concerns over the form of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Both senior batters struggled to find rhythm in their much-anticipated return to international cricket. Kohli departed for a duck after facing eight balls, while Rohit managed only eight runs before edging to slip — leaving India in early trouble and eventually on the losing side.
Pathan, analyzing the match on his YouTube channel, pointed out that Rohit’s lack of match practice despite recent fitness improvements played a key role in his struggle. “Fitness is one thing and game time is another. That’s why Rohit looked a bit unsettled,” Pathan said. He further suggested that Kohli may still be grappling with technical flaws reminiscent of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), where similar issues had been observed.
The former cricketer praised KL Rahul’s composed innings and Axar Patel’s reliable middle-order performance, while also advising Shreyas Iyer to fine-tune his technique for better stability against pace and bounce.
Pathan emphasized that India’s difficulties in Perth stemmed from inadequate preparation time. “When you’re touring countries like Australia, it’s always wise to arrive early and play a few practice games,” he remarked. “The bounce and conditions are challenging, and both batters and bowlers struggled with their lengths and timing. If we had played a game or two before the ODI, these errors could have been avoided.”
He concluded by urging the Indian team management to focus on better overseas preparation strategies ahead of future series to overcome recurring batting collapses.