All eyes will be on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as India lock horns with Australia in the opening ODI of the three-match series at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday. With both legends having stepped away from T20Is and Test cricket, this marks their first outing together in India’s colours since lifting the Champions Trophy in March.

As they gear up for another phase in their illustrious careers, the Australian tour offers a crucial platform for the duo to silence critics and reaffirm their ambitions of featuring in the 2027 World Cup in South Africa. Interestingly, Rohit will feature purely as a batter this time, free from the additional weight of captaincy that he has carried for years.

That responsibility now rests with Shubman Gill, who begins a new chapter as India’s ODI captain

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