AUS vs IND: Fans troll Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli after the duo’s poor outing in the 1st ODI at Perth

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Indian cricket icons Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli made their much-awaited return to the national side in the first ODI against Australia at Perth. The duo last featured together during the ICC Champions Trophy in February, where India clinched the title. Having taken a break from the game following their T20I and Test retirements, both players were under the scanner as they stepped back into the 50-over format. While they appeared fitter and sharper physically, their performances with the bat left much to be desired.

Rohit began his innings with trademark elegance, stroking a delightful cover drive early on. However, the fluency soon faded as Australian seamer Josh Hazlewood extracted bounce and movement from the lively Perth surface. Rohit, trying to push through the line, got an outside edge that carried neatly to the slip cordon. His short stay at the crease highlighted a lack of rhythm — something understandable after an extended layoff from competitive cricket.

On the other hand, Kohli’s dismissal rekindled an old concern. Chasing a wide delivery from Mitchell Starc, the former captain nicked the ball straight to the point fielder. It was a familiar pattern — Kohli’s eagerness to drive outside the off-stump once again brought his downfall. While his intent was evident, the execution faltered, as the wicket offered seam movement throughout the innings. Kohli has built a career on timing and precision, but the early dismissal underscored the challenges of returning to form after months away from international action.

Both Rohit and Kohli are eyeing a spot in India’s 2027 ODI World Cup campaign, but their recent struggles could complicate matters. The selectors and management are likely to assess their consistency and impact through this series. With a new generation of Indian batters emerging, the competition for middle and top-order positions has intensified. A couple of low scores might not define their careers, but continued failures could force the selectors to look elsewhere.

Still, fans and pundits alike believe that the experienced pair needs just one solid innings to rediscover their form. With two games remaining in the series, the spotlight will remain firmly on their ability to adapt and deliver against a formidable Australian bowling attack.

Also READ: Rohit Sharma vs Mitchell Starc in ODIs: The ultimate duel that will define AUS vs IND 50-over series

Social media was abuzz after the duo’s failure, with fans trolling both Rohit and Kohli for their underwhelming returns. Memes and sarcastic posts flooded X (formerly Twitter), with many users expressing frustration over their dismissals. Some fans urged patience, citing their long layoff, while others questioned their place in the side ahead of the 2027 World Cup cycle.

— Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsOfCricket) October 19, 2025

India's Top 3 dismissed inside the first 9 overs

— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) October 19, 2025

Big moment in Perth as Virat Kohli got out without troubling the scorers 🤯#ViratKohli #AUSvIND

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) October 19, 2025

#INDvsAUSGautam Gambhir To Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma 😭

— theboysthing (@theboysthing07) October 19, 2025

Agarkar and Gambhir watching Rohit and Kohli

— Sagar (@sagarcasm) October 19, 2025

Woke up to seeKohli – 0(8) Rohit – 8 ( 14 ) #AUSvIND

— Bheem ☝︎ (@Turbodrive15) October 19, 2025

woke up at 8am on a sunday only to watch rohit 8(14) and kohli 0(8)

— Arjun* (@mxtaverse) October 19, 2025

Gambhir to Rohit and Kohli in dressing room right now

— Ebuka (@iamsportsgeek) October 19, 2025

Rohit Sharma looked good but was dismissed for 8, while Virat Kohli was dismissed for a duck 🦆.#INDvsAUS

— Shivam dubey 🇮🇳 (@ShivamdubeYspn) October 19, 2025

Rohit and Kohli fans finding a way to put the blame on GG

— ɥsʎn∀ 🇮🇳 (@IYU5H) October 19, 2025

After waiting so long — Rohit-Kohli together again! ☹️#INDvsAUS #AUSvIND #RohitSharma𓃵 #Kohli

— Vivek Mishra (@vivek121001) October 19, 2025

Laga tha ki uthte he Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma ki batting dekhne milegi.. #INDvsAUS #Roko

— Hardik Gohil (@GohilHardy) October 19, 2025

Rohit sharma or Virat Kohli ki aesi khartnak performance aayegi ki kisi ka baap bhi unhe team se Drop nhi kar sakta hai.

Meanwhile Ro- Ko #INDvAUS #INDvsAUS #AUSvIND #RohitSharma #ViratKohli #AUSvsIND

— kuldeep singh (@kuldeep0745) October 19, 2025

We waited for so long time to comeback Rohit and Kohli..

Now, Rohit, kohli, Gill Out…..😭😭#INDvsAUS #Rohit #Kohli

— Dheeraj sharmaaa (@Dsharmaaa96) October 19, 2025

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