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There is some movement with the covers – the heaviest protection is being removed with attention turning to pushing water away from the outfield. But no word yet on when the teams are expected to return to the field or how many overs the ODI will be reduced to.
Marnus Labuschagne concedes that the Ashes and returning to the Test side after being dropped for the series in the West Indies continue to drive him. But he is less comfortable talking about where he would prefer to bat if selected to face England in the series opener in Perth on 21 November.
[The Ashes] is always in the back of your mind. If I’m playing at my best, that stuff takes care of itself. And that’s still my thoughts now. Wherever I’m playing, for whoever I’m playing for, I just want to keep playing my best cricket. Then I want to keep enjoying it and playing with that freedom. Then the rest will take care of itself.
Wherever the selectors and the coach put me, that’s where I’ll be batting. I’ve batted my whole career for Australia at three, so there’s nothing more to be said … wherever they put me, is where I bat.
Marnus Labuschagne has forced his way back into national consideration with a weight of runs at domestic level. The former world No 1 Test batter scored four tons in his first five knocks of the summer playing for Queensland to earn a recall to the ODI squad – and potentially Australia’s XI for the Ashes opener in Perth. Labuschagne is talking on Fox Sports about the changes he has made and the reasons for his lean patches in recent years.
It’s always nice when you’re scoring runs. The only thing I really wanted coming into this summer, take everything out including selections and everything else, I just really wanted to be back playing cricket the way I want to be playing. Playing with that freedom and just being able to go out there, read the game and take the game on. It’s nice to have come out and started the way I have.
It was probably more mental. There is a few technical things that I’ve ironed out of my game and had a bit of time to work on. But I think it’s just more getting too deep into my technique and trying to be too perfect instead of just playing with what I’ve got. Just going out there and reading the game and using my technique to adjust.
England had to deal with worse conditions in New Zealand yesterday but they were likely more grateful when the storm arrived after slumping to 81 for five. Sam Curran rescued his side with 49 before the T20 was abandoned with England on 153-6.
The rain is proving to be more persistent this time with no sign of the covers being removed any time soon in Perth.
12th over: India 37-3 (Shreyas 6, Axar 76) Axar clips a stray ball towards square leg for a single and Hazlewood digs one in to Shreyas but is called for a wide as the ball sails high over the batter. The Australia quick tightens up his line but with one ball left in the over, the covers interrupt the fun once again. The rain doesn’t look too heavy at this stage, so it should only be a second brief break.
11th over: India 35-3 (Shreyas 6, Axar 6) Axar leans into a drive but fails to properly time the stroke and the ball is pulled up short of the boundary. A slip of feet and seemingly of mind costs India a run as Axar’s bat fails to cross the crease at the non-striker’s end. Shreyas adds a couple more with a cut to the deep and a single with a punch to point. Axar ends a promising over with a controlled cut for three.
10th over: India 27-3 (Shreyas 3, Axar 1) Shreyas Iyer is watchful against Josh Hazlewood with maintaining wickets suddenly the main concern for India. Both batters pick up a single to third man.
9th over: India 25-3 (Shreyas 2, Axar 0) Nathan Ellis starts the over with the wicket of Shubman Gill and after a rain delay almost completes it with the dismissal of Axar Patel. The India all-rounder slashes at the first ball after the interruption and is fortunate that it misses the outside edge.
The players are getting back into position and we’ve quickly lost two overs – the ODI will now be a 49-over contest.
The covers are being packed up and play should resume shortly.
India are more likely to appreciate the break in play due to rain with all of their top-order dismissed inside nine overs. Rohit Sharma was the first to go after failing to handle extra bounce off Josh Hazlewood while Virat Kohli was sent packing in a more familiar fashion as Australia continued to target the India star outside off stump.
It is Kohli’s first duck in an ODI in Australia where he averages 49.14.
The sprinkle of rain turns into more of a light drizzle and the covers are on their way. Nathan Ellis has bowled four dots to Axar Patel who is happy to dig in with India needing to rebuild their innings at 25 for three after only 8.5 overs.
Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood each have 1 for 12 from four overs, while Ellis has made a fast start with the wicket of Shubman Gill from his first ball.
WICKET! Gill c Philippe b Ellis 10 (India 25-3)
Nathan Ellis comes into the attack and immediately gets the breakthrough as Gill tickles one off the hip and Josh Philippe dives to his left.
8th over: India 25-2 (Gill 10, Shreyas 2) The India captain will shoulder the responsibility of leading the fightback and picks up a single with a comfortable drive to cover. Shreyas sees out the rest of the over from Hazlewood without much intent to score.
7th over: India 24-2 (Gill 9, Shreyas 2) Mitchell Starc gets his reward for a controlled opening spell and India are on the ropes with two of their batting greats back in the sheds. Shreyas Iyer is more comfortable against the left-armer though with two wickets down well inside 10 overs, defence is currently the order of the day.
WICKET! Kohli c Connolly b Starc 0 (India 21-2)
What a catch! Copper Connolly pulls down a screamer at point and Virat Kohli is gone for a duck. The India star was lured into a drive and a thick edge sends the ball wide off Connolly who dives hard to his left to send Kohli on his way.
6th over: India 21-1 (Gill 9, Kohli 0) Shubman Gill has trouble getting bat on ball until a scorching drive sends the ball flying through cover to the rope. Josh Hazlewood unusually loses his line and sends down three wides in the over.
5th over: India 14-1 (Gill 5, Kohli 0) A maiden for Starc to Kohli with an over of fuller deliveries angling across off-stump. Kohli chases a wider ball and is fortunate to be beaten on the outside edge.
4th over: India 14-1 (Gill 5, Kohli 0) Hazlewood picks up the early wicket of Rohit to bring Virat Kohli to the crease. The Australia quick immediately turns to pitching the ball up and there is a half-hearted appeal for a delivery that is tracking down leg. Kohli gets off strike from a leg-bye but the Australia plan already seems clear.
WICKET! Rohit c Renshaw b Hazlewood 8 (India 13-1)
Rohit Sharma is beaten for bounce as the India defends on the back foot but edges to debutant Matt Renshaw at second slip. The ball flew off the top of the bat and Renshaw looked comfortable moving to his left to send Rohit on his way.
3rd over: India 13-0 (Rohit 8, Gill 5) Rohit shows his intent with an attacking slash over point that feels like a high-risk shot for the reward of only two runs. A well-timed drive through mid-off to the boundary is worth twice as much with half the effort.
2nd over: India 6-0 (Rohit 1, Gill 5) Josh Hazlewood takes the new ball and immediately goes to work on his familiar line and length. But when the Australia quick overpitches, Gill opens up and times a straight drive to the rope. A first boundary for India.
1st over: India 2-0 (Rohit 1, Gill 1) Mitchell Starc is right on the money from the get-go but is unable to find an opening-over breakthrough. A fitter-looking Rohit nudges a quick single from the first ball and Gill adds another to mid-off. Rohit ends the over with a rush of blood and the former skipper’s swing and a miss is one to forget.
Mitchell Starc is at the top of his mark and ready to kick off the summer of cricket. Will it be one of the left-arm quicks trademark blistering opening overs …
The Australia and India national anthems are complete and play is about to get under way at Optus Stadium in Perth.
India veteran Rohit Sharma will open alongside new captain Shubman Gill. Virat Kohli is also in town for a farewell tour around the country where he has made such an impact over the years. Both sides will have plenty to play for against their bitter rivals while ramping up their preparations for World Cups to come.
While the spotlight turns onto the first of eight white-ball matches between Australia and India, local eyes are also looking further into the future and the Ashes series that begins in just over a month back in Perth.
Pat Cummins is all but ruled out of opener against England but Australia’s chair of selectors, George Bailey, is optimistic about the captain’s chances of playing a significant part in the the Test series.
[We are] really confident that he’s going to play a major part. Hopefully it’s the first Test. If not, then we’ll pick it up.
India XI
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (capt), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Reddy, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.
A mix of the old and new for the tourists with Rohit and Kohli in the side while Nitish Reddy makes his ODI debut.
Australia XI
Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (capt), Matt Short, Josh Philippe (wk), Matt Renshaw, Mitch Owen, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Matt Kuhnemann, Josh Hazlewood.
A pair of ODI debutants for Australia also mean cap presentations are in order. Shaun Marsh hands Matt Renshaw his cap, Tim David does the honours for Mitch Owen.
Marnus Labuschagne will bide his time after finding red-hot form in domestic matches and being a late addition to the squad.
Shubman Gill concedes that India would have bowled first if they had won the toss and believes his side is ready to play despite only arriving in Australia three days ago.
Looking at the weather, it might be a stop-and-play game. It looks like a good surface so hopefully we get some runs on the board.
It’s all about getting mentally ready. Most of the players were playing in India before coming here, so it’s just about getting together. I think we’re in a good mental space.
Toss
Mitch Marsh is leading Australia in the white-ball series against India’s Shubman Gill. The Australia skipper wins the toss and elects to field first in the ODI at Optus Stadium.
Marsh explains his thinking as he captains the national side at his home ground…
Looks like a pretty good Perth Stadium wicket, hopefully it’s hard and fast, little bit of moisture around, hopefully we can make the most of that today.
It’s always a huge honour to captain your country but I guess to do it front a somewhat home crowd is always an exciting day.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the first one-day international between Australia and India at Optus Stadium in Perth. This is the opener of three ODIs between the arch-rivals with the remainder of the series to be played in Adelaide on Thursday and Sydney on Saturday. A five-match T20 series will follow that before the main event on these shores when England arrive for the Ashes next month.
But before we reach the highly-anticipated Test series, there is fresh appetite for white-ball matches especially with India in town and a near-sell out is expected today in Perth.
There has been a bit of rain and cloud around this morning with more showers forecast to arrive later in the day, but the covers are off at the moment so the players are on track to start at the scheduled time.
First ball will be at 11:30 local time in Perth / 2.30pm AEDT / 9am IST. The toss and team news will be coming up shortly. Meanwhile, let us know your thoughts and predictions – shoot me an email or find me @martinpegan on Bluesky or X. Let’s get into it!
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