Rain has been a constant troublemaker at Perth’s Optus Stadium, halting play not once but four times in the first One-day International between Australia and India on Sunday. At one stage, the skies forced a two-hour delay and eventually shrank the contest to just 26 overs per side.
But even as the rain poured, the mood in the stands never did. Ponchos, cheers and chants filled the arena as fans danced through the drizzle, refusing to let the weather wash away their excitement.
When Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma finally walked out to bat — their first international appearance since India’s Champions Trophy triumph in March, the crowd erupted. It had been seven long months since the two stalwarts were seen in blue together, and expectations soared.
However, the comeback didn’t go to script. Rohit managed just 8 off 14 before falling to Josh Hazlewood, and Kohli who was greeted by a thunderous roar- departed soon after for an eight-ball duck. It was Kohli’s first-ever ODI duck on Australian soil, a stat that stunned even his most ardent fans.
Yet, despite the setbacks, the energy inside Optus Stadium never dipped. Every boundary, every dive in the field drew applause. The rain had won against overs, but not against the fans — who turned a stop-start day into a celebration of cricket itself.
