New Delhi: Back-to-back defeats in Perth and Adelaide have put India in an unfamiliar territory. Down 0-2 in the 3-match ODI series against Australia, Team India, the world number one side and a dominant white-ball force, is staring at a rare whitewash in the 50-over format. The last time India suffered a clean sweep was back in 2020 when New Zealand beat them 3-0 in a three-match series at home. That was India’s first ODI series whitewash in the last three decades.
With only pride to play for, Shubman Gill’s men must step up in what could be the last game for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma on Australian soil in an emotionally-charged third ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.
Outplayed in both games, India need all their players, especially Kohli and Gill, to fire on all cylinders to stop the Australian juggernaut. Back-to-back ducks from Kohli and scores of 10 and 9 from Gill have not helped India’s cause in the first two games. However, Rohit’s return to form was a welcome sight.
Under fire to perform to remain in the team’s plans, Rohit showed immense grit and determination to dig deep in challenging conditions. His fighting knock of 73 off 97 balls was a clear indicator of his desire and hunger to perform and contribute towards the team’s cause in just his second match as a non-captain in the last few years.
Team India selection debate: Kuldeep Yadav’s exclusion & strategy
While the team needs their stars to fire, it’s also imperative for the management to focus on team selection.
India’s obsession with playing bits and pieces players over specialist bowlers has been one of the major reasons behind the series loss. It almost appears that the team management is hell bent on restructuring India’s approach for ODIs and Tests to a T20 mindset. The 0-2 scoreline is a prime example of why this ploy won’t work.
In both matches, India missed the services of a wicket-taking option in the middle overs, which allowed the Australians to play without any fear of losing wickets.
In Adelaide, Australia were reduced to 8 wickets while chasing a 264-run target, and it was only because of a lack of wicket-taking options that they were able to cross the line with almost four overs to spare. A bowler like Kuldeep Yadav could have made all the difference to the game with his wicket-taking ability.
It’s almost criminal to bench a bowler of Kuldeep’s calibre and ability, especially at a time when left-arm wrist-spin has become a rare art. It’s also unfathomable that the highest wicket-taker in the 2025 Asia Cup, with 17 wickets at an average of 9.29, was not in the playing XI in the first two matches.
With 12 wickets in 2 Tests against the West Indies, Kuldeep came to Australia in rich wicket-taking form, yet he was excluded in favour of two batting all-rounders. India should trust their batting depth to tackle the Aussie bowlers, and while it’s too little too late to save the series, they must include a bowler who cannot only stem the flow of runs by bowling economical overs but also take wickets in crunch situations.
Fans brace for emotional evening in Sydney
Aged 38 and 36 respectively, Rohit and Virat, in all probability, will play their last match on Australian soil on Saturday. With no ODI series in Australia in the next two years of ICC FTP, it is all but certain that the Sydney ODI will be the last of the duo Down Under.
It has been a roller-coaster journey for both icons, with Rohit first coming to Australia for the CB Series in 2007-08 while Kohli’s first tour with the senior team was in the 2011-12 season, when he announced his arrival to the Aussie audience with a Test century at Adelaide.
Irrespective of their performances in Sydney, both Rohit and Kohli will be remembered for their memorable performances and brilliant records on Australian soil.
India need both Rohit and Kohli at the peak of their powers on Saturday to avoid a whitewash and a fifth loss in the last six games against Australia at the SCG.