Australian Men’s Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team Match: Former team India captain Rohit Sharma suggested that his and Virat Kohli’s stunning performances in the third ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground might be their last on Australian soil. “I have always loved coming here. I enjoy playing cricket in Australia. There are fond memories of 2008. It’s a nice way to finish, getting that knock and getting that win,” Rohit said after the match. “I don’t know if we will be coming back again, but it was fun all these years. There were good and bad memories, but I’ll take all the cricket I have played here.”
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.
Rohit also said that both he and Kohli were still motivated to perform despite their long careers. "It looks like it. Yes, we enjoy our cricket. Most importantly, no matter what accolades we have achieved, it is important that whenever you get an opportunity to play, you have got to come and start fresh. That is what we did when we arrived in Perth. Forget what has happened in the last 15-17 years, and start afresh," he added.
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.
Both players had 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 appearance in India in the format since the 2023 World Cup.
Kohli, who had recorded back-to-back ducks earlier in the series, was relieved to find form again. “Good to be out of the pond, honestly. The game shows you everything, even at this stage. Almost 37 and still can feel like you don’t know how to get a run,” he said. “When Rohit is batting the way he does, it’s easy to rotate strike. We understand each other’s game very well.”
The former India captain also thanked the Australian fans for their support. “We love coming here and playing in front of big crowds. We have played some of our best cricket in this country,” Kohli said.
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.
Australian Men’s Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team 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 for 1 in 38.3 overs (Rohit Sharma 121 not out, Virat Kohli 74 not out)
Australian vs Australia 3rd ODI Match Highlights
