Virat Kohli steps aside, pushes Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer to walk first

NEW DELHI: A lot of anticipation surrounded the first ODI in Perth, which India lost by seven wickets (DLS), as two of the game’s stalwarts, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, returned to the side after months. Both players had already retired from T20Is and Tests, making their comeback in the highly anticipated series opener against Australia at Optus Stadium even more significant. For Kohli, it marked his first ODI appearance since lifting the Champions Trophy on March 9 in Dubai. Virat was in a jovial mood from the start, interacting with teammates, sharing laughs, and cracking jokes. Ahead of the match, during the national anthem, he stopped and asked captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer to lead the team and stand first in the line. However, Kohli’s return end