Perth, Oct 17: Under the bright Western Australian sky, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma marked their much-awaited return to international cricket as India began their first training session at the Optus Stadium ahead of Sunday’s ODI opener against Australia.The optional session on Thursday drew considerable curiosity — particularly over which senior players would take part — and much to the delight of a small group of fans outside the ground, both Kohli and Rohit padded up. It was their first outing with the national side since India’s Champions Trophy triumph earlier this year, and the first time in years they trained as teammates rather than captains.
With the Optus Stadium — one of his favourite hunting grounds — providing a scenic backdrop, Kohli looked composed and focused throughout the 60-minute session.
Having not played a competitive match since the IPL, the former captain appeared determined to rediscover his rhythm ahead of what could well be his final tour of Australia.
The 35-year-old began with a sharp catching routine before facing a lively spell from young pacers Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh, along with local bowlers enlisted for practice.
Despite a few testing deliveries on the bouncy Perth surface, Kohli appeared comfortable, his signature timing and control quickly returning. Just a year ago, Kohli had scored his final Test century on this very ground, and the familiarity seemed to help him settle in. His crisp drives and fluent footwork hinted that the champion batter hadn’t lost his touch during his break from international cricket.
Batting in the adjacent net, Rohit Sharma looked a little rusty at first.
The timing wasn’t there, and the footwork seemed heavy. But as minutes passed and the sweat began to flow, the familiar sound of the ball hitting the middle of his bat started echoing across the stadium.
The 37-year-old, who hasn’t featured in any international match since February, extended his stay in the nets, gradually finding rhythm with a few powerful pull shots and crisp drives.