Rahul, Axar steady India after collapse in rain-marred Perth ODI

Perth, Oct 2025 : KL Rahul’s composed 38 off 31 balls, supported by Axar Patel’s 31 and debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy’s late flourish, helped India post 136/9 in a rain-affected 26-over innings after an early top-order collapse in the opening ODI against Australia at the Optus Stadium on Sunday.

Due to persistent rain interruptions, the match was reduced from 50 overs to 26 overs per side under the DLS method, setting Australia a target of 131 runs to win in 26 overs.

Winning the toss, Australia opted to field first and immediately put India on the back foot. Pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood struck early, dismissing India’s returning skipper Rohit Sharma for just eight off 14 deliveries. The Australian bowlers continued to dominate as Mitchell Starc removed another returning stalwart, Virat Kohli, while Nathan Ellis got the better of the newly appointed captain Shubman Gill.

India’s innings faltered under overcast conditions and a swinging ball, with frequent rain interruptions breaking the rhythm of play. The visitors struggled to build partnerships, and boundaries were hard to come by. Hazlewood returned to pick up his second wicket, sending Shreyas Iyer back to the pavilion just as he looked to settle in. Notably, this marked the seventh time in 13 innings—across international and domestic matches—that Hazlewood has dismissed Iyer.

After a fourth rain delay, India finally found some stability through KL Rahul and Axar Patel. Their partnership brought a semblance of control to an otherwise shaky innings. Axar’s steady 31 off 38 balls included smart singles and occasional boundaries before he fell trying to accelerate. His dismissal left India teetering, but Rahul ensured that the scoreboard kept moving.

Rahul showed his class in the later stages, especially when he smashed Matthew Short for two towering sixes in the 21st over, helping India cross the 100-run mark. Washington Sundar provided brief support but was dismissed by left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann in the 24th over.

Debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy then joined Rahul at the crease, attempting to lift India’s total in the final few overs. However, Rahul’s innings came to an end when he was dismissed by debutant Mitch Owen, who also removed Harshit Rana two balls later, claiming two wickets in the same over.

In the final over, Arshdeep Singh was run out while attempting a risky second run, but Reddy managed to make good use of the remaining deliveries. The young debutant smashed two sixes, showing promise and composure under pressure, as India finished at 136/9.

Australia’s disciplined bowling attack, led by Hazlewood (2/20) and Kuhnemann (2/26), ensured that India never fully recovered from their early setbacks. The visitors will now rely on their bowlers to defend a modest target in conditions that continue to favor seam movement.

Brief Scores: India 136/9 in 26 overs (KL Rahul 38, Axar Patel 31; Josh Hazlewood 2/20, Matthew Kuhnemann 2/26) vs Australia — Target: 131 (DLS method).