Match: 1st ODI, India Tour of Australia 2025/26
Date: Sunday, October 19, 2025 (Day/Night Match)
Venue: Perth Stadium, Perth
Time: 11:30 AM local time / 9:00 AM IST
Toss: 8:30 AM IST
TV: Star Sports & JioHotstar (India), Fox Cricket (Australia)
Alt Text for Featured Image: Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli celebrating during India vs Australia ODI match at Perth Stadium
Big Names Return to Cricket
After seven months away, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are back playing for India. Both players last played in March 2025 when India won the Champions Trophy. They have stopped playing Test matches and T20s, so ODI cricket is now the only format where fans can watch them play.
But there’s a big change. Rohit Sharma is no longer the captain. Shubman Gill, who is 26 years old, will now lead the Indian team. This is his first series as captain, and he has some of India’s biggest stars in his team.
Australia is also dealing with problems. Many of their best players are not available. Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Adam Zampa, and Josh Inglis are all missing. Mitchell Marsh will captain a young team that recently lost a series at home to South Africa.
Two new players, Mitchell Owen and Matthew Renshaw, are expected to play their first ODI match for Australia.
Expected Playing 11
India’s Likely Team
- Rohit Sharma
- Shubman Gill (C)
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer (VC)
- KL Rahul (WK)
- Axar Patel
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Washington Sundar / Kuldeep Yadav
- Mohammed Siraj
- Arshdeep Singh
- Harshit Rana
Note: India may pick Washington Sundar instead of Kuldeep Yadav because Perth’s pitch has extra bounce, and Sundar can bat better.
Australia’s Likely Team
- Mitchell Marsh (C)
- Travis Head
- Matthew Short
- Josh Philippe (WK)
- Cooper Connolly
- Matthew Renshaw
- Mitchell Owen
- Matthew Kuhnemann –
- Mitchell Starc
- Josh Hazlewood
- Xavier Bartlett / Nathan Ellis
Key Players to Watch
| Role | India | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Star Batters | Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill | Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh |
| Middle-Order | Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul | Cooper Connolly, Matthew Renshaw |
| All-Rounders | Axar Patel, Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar | Mitchell Owen, Cooper Connolly |
| Fast Bowlers | Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana | Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood |
| Spinners | Kuldeep Yadav / Washington Sundar | Matthew Kuhnemann |
Alt Text for Players Montage: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh in action during India vs Australia ODI series
Perth Pitch and Weather
Perth Stadium is known for having one of the fastest pitches in world cricket. The ball bounces high and moves around a lot, making it hard for batters. Only three ODI matches have been played here, and teams have scored an average of just 183 runs in the first innings.
What the Pitch Will Do:
- The ball will bounce higher than normal
- Fast bowlers will get help early in the match
- Batters will find it difficult in the first 10 overs
- The boundaries are big, making it hard to hit sixes
Weather Report:
There is a 70% chance of rain on Sunday morning. The sky will be cloudy all day, and temperatures will be between 11-22°C. Rain might stop the match or reduce the number of overs. The toss will be very important because the team winning it might want to bowl first.
Alt Text for Venue Image: Perth Stadium aerial view showing the cricket pitch and packed stands during day-night ODI match
Match Prediction
This match will be exciting for many reasons. India is starting a new chapter with Gill as captain, but they still have the experience of Kohli and Rohit. Gill has an excellent ODI average of 59.04 runs.
Australia is in a tougher spot. They are missing many key players and will play two new players who have never played an ODI before. But playing at home with fast bowlers like Starc and Hazlewood gives them a chance to win.
Previous Matches: Australia has won 84 ODI matches against India, while India has won 58. But India beat Australia in the Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal, which was their last match against each other.
Our Prediction:
If rain doesn’t interrupt the match, expect a low-scoring game. The pitch will help fast bowlers, so early wickets will decide who wins. India has more experience and a better balanced team, which gives them a small advantage. But Australia’s home conditions and fast bowling attack keep this match close.
The team that bats well in the first 10 overs will probably win. We expect scores between 230-250 runs.