Australian Men’s Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team Match: The farewell of Indian cricket icons Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from one-day internationals on Australian soil turned emotional not only for fans at the Sydney Cricket Ground but also for those in the commentary box. During India’s nine-wicket win over Australia, several Australian commentators were moved as the legendary pair shared the field for one last time in the format in Australia. A video of the emotional moment went viral after one commentator was seen tearing up on live television while his colleague delivered a heartfelt tribute.
Australian broadcaster Gerard Whateley said during the post-match coverage that no words could capture the significance of the moment. “Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma on their last night in Australia. Not even Mick Jagger and Keith Richards could have played it better. Kohli and Rohit...the night is theirs. Rohit, 121 not out. Kohli, 74 unbeaten, as India wins by nine wickets,” Whateley said.
Earlier, when Kohli came out to bat following Shubman Gill’s dismissal, Adam White on SEN Cricket announced his arrival with great emotion. “Standby, because while the skipper is departing, the king is about to arrive for the very last time on Australian shores in Indian colors. Ladies and gentlemen… here he is, Virat Kohli,” he said. White later added that Kohli’s presence and record made him one of the greatest in one-day history. "As you'd expect, as we always see, he marches out with purpose. Arguably the best one-day record in the history of the game," he added.
Former Australian cricketer Trent Copeland also reflected on the occasion, saying it was a privilege to witness the moment live. “You got to pinch yourself occasionally, don't you, Whitey? That we're here for this moment. This guy has been at the center of seismic shifts in cricket. Unquestionably the best one-day record,” he said.
According to the Future Tours Programme, India will not play another ODI series in Australia until 2027-28. This means it could be the last time the two played there.
The duo returned to international cricket after a seven-month break. India’s next ODI series will be at home against South Africa in November and December. It will be their first home ODI appearance since the 2023 World Cup.
The veteran duo produced a batting masterclass to guide India to a nine-wicket win over Australia. Chasing 236, they stitched an unbeaten 168-run partnership as Rohit struck 121 not out and Kohli remained unbeaten on 74. Rohit was named both player of the match and player of the series.
Both struggled early in the series as they failed to reach double figures in Perth. Rohit found form in Adelaide while Kohli fell for a second straight duck. Their dominant performance in Sydney, however, gave India a strong finish to the tour.
Australia vs India, 3rd ODI – Match Scorecard
Australia: 236 all out in 46.4 overs
(Matt Renshaw 56, Mitchell Marsh 41, Matthew Short 30;
Harshit Rana 4/39, Washington Sundar 2/44, Axar Patel 1/18, Mohammed Siraj 1/24)
India: 237/1 in 38.3 overs
(Rohit Sharma 121* not out, Virat Kohli 74* not out)
Australian vs Australia 3rd ODI Match Highlights
