India vs Australia 1st ODI Perth weather forecast: Will rain play spoilsport to Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli's comeback?

The return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the first ODI against Australia might be spoiled by Perth weather as there are 70% chances of rain on Sunday (October 19). Having last played for India in the 50-over format during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, both Rohit and Kohli are returning to the Indian dressing room for the first time in seven months.

The India vs Australia ODI series also marks the beginning of the preparations of bit teams in the lead-up to the 2027 ODI World Cup. The second and third ODIs will be played on October 23 and 25 respectively. The India vs Australia first ODI starts at 11:30 AM local time (9 AM IST).

According to Accuweather.com, rain is expected on Sunday morning with a 70% chances of precipitation ahead of the 11:30 AM (Australian time) start. The rain further increases by 35% as the game progresses, thus forcing multiple interruptions. Morning showers means, it will also affect the toss time. A delayed start to the game can't be ruled out.

If the rain and overcast conditions come into play, both captains will be looking to field first after winning the toss. To add more to that, overcast conditions will help seamers in swinging the ball, thus adding misery to the batter as the pitches in Perth offers variable bounce.

IND vs AUS 1st ODI Perth pitch report

Traditionally, the wicket at the Optus Stadium in Perth offers assistance to the fast bowlers. The average first innings score at this stadium is 183 while the highest target chased at this venue is 153. So far, only three ODIs have been played at the Optus Stadium with the teams batting second winning on two occasions.

Why IND vs AUS ODIs important for Rohit & Virat?

Having not played any form of cricket since the Indian Premier League (IPL) ended in June, both Kohli and Rohit will be taking the field for the first time in five months at the top level. With the 2027 ODI World Cup in mind, the Australia series will help both the former captains to check where they stand at this point in time.

It must be noted that Rohit had shed a lot of weight and looks a lot fitter now. The 38-year-old trained with former India batting coach Abhishek Nayar in Mumbai. The right-hander also had a few batting sessions at the Shivaji Park in Mumbai. On the other hand, Kohli has been residing with his family in the United Kingdom since IPL 2025.

He has been training in London to keep his fitness game on point and returned to India to join his teammates on October 14. The next day Kohli flew out to Australia for the ODI series.