KL Rahul produced an aggressive burst of batting within the opening ODI of the India-Australia series at Perth’s Optus Stadium on October 19. Walking in with the necessity to speed up, the wicketkeeper-batter targeted Matthew Short within the twenty first over and adjusted the tempo immediately. On the third ball, he advanced down the track and lifted the ball straight back over the bowler for a clean six.
He then repeated the chance on the very next delivery, swinging with full conviction to dispatch an extended hit over the long-on boundary. That over alone fetched India 17 runs and injected transient momentum after a slow and shaky start. Rahul’s confident hitting was not out of character; over the past three years he has quietly turn out to be one in all India’s most consistent ODI batters, collecting 223 runs in his last 10 matches before this game at a mean above 37. In 2023 alone, he exceeded the 1,000-run mark, underlining his capability to supply each stability and acceleration.
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Down the bottom. Out of the bottom. Repeat 🔁🔥pic.twitter.com/TWvXl44wCM
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) October 19, 2025
Shortened Innings Tests India’s Batting Depth
Persistent rain reduced the competition to 26 overs per side, forcing India to compress their scoring effort and take more risks. Rahul once more assumed responsibility, compiling a brisk 38 off 31 balls with two fours and two sixes. Axar Patel provided beneficial support with a measured 31 off 38 deliveries, striking three boundaries to maintain the scoreboard ticking.
Toward the death, debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy provided a late surge with an unbeaten 19 off just 11 balls, clearing the ropes twice to assist India reach 136/9. For Australia, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Owen and Matthew Kuhnemann led the attack smartly, each taking two wickets and choking India’s run accumulation with disciplined lines and clever changes of pace as conditions remained heavy and tacky.
Top-Order Collapse And Context Of The series
Despite the middle-order rescue work, India’s top order collapsed under swing and discipline. Rohit Sharma could manage only 8 off 14 in his much-awaited return, while Virat Kohli departed without scoring after eight dots, unable to evaluate the grip within the surface. Latest ODI skipper Shubman Gill also faltered, consuming 18 balls for less than 10 runs.
These failures added pressure on the center and lower order in a shortened-overs template where early momentum is crucial. India got here into this fixture chasing back-to-back ODI wins over Australia after beating them within the Champions Trophy, but in addition mindful of their 1-2 defeat on their last 50-over tour Down Under. This opener thus carried weight not only as a restart after the ICC event, but in addition as an early narrative setter for the remainder of the series.
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