Virat Kohli shows royal humility! Steps aside, lets leaders Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer walk first in Perth ODI

The first ODI between India and Australia in Perth on Sunday (October 19) marked the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in international cricket.

Neither of them had played for Team India since winning the Champions Trophy on March 9 earlier this year. While both of them were expected to be a part of the Test team for the tour of England in June, they decided to bring down curtain on their career in red-ball cricket in May.

Virat Kohli fails on comeback

Unsurprisingly, there was a lot of hype surrounding the first ODI against Australia as the fans were eagerly waiting to see their favorite stars in action again. However, neither Virat Kohli nor Rohit Sharma could live up to the expectations.

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Also Read: "Form is just a word": Arshdeep Singh’s blunt take on Virat Kohli’s 8-ball duck in Perth ODI

Both of them failed to deliver with the bat as India started their tour of Australia with a 7-wicket loss. While Rohit Sharma was out for just 8 runs, Kohli could not even get off the mark. Kohli faced eight balls in his short innings but could not open his account.

Virat Kohli's heartwarming gesture:

Just before the start of the match, Virat Kohli came up with a heartwarming gesture for newly-appointed ODI captain Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer. He was in his element as he was seen talking to his teammates, sharing laughs, and cracking jokes.

During the national anthem, he stopped and asked Gill and Iyer to lead the team and stand first in the line.

Watch: Virat Kohli's Heartwarming Gesture For Captain Shubman Gill And Shreyas Iyer During 1st ODI

The way Virat Kohli call captain Shubman Gill and vice captain Shreyas Iyer to move forward for national anthem ❤️pic.twitter.com/h8GmjuSkRU

— GillTheWill (@GillTheWill77) October 19, 2025

Talking about the match, India were pretty much outplayed by Australia in the first ODI. Batting first, the Men in Blue could score only 136/9 in the allotted 26 overs. India's innings was interrupted as many as six times due to rain before they managed to post a respectable total.

In reply, Australia chased down the total inside 22 overs to take the lead in the three-match series. The second ODI is scheduled to take place on Thursday in Adelaide.