"Not Too Much Great Cricket, Please": Marsh's Cheeky Request to Kohli and Rohit

Perth: Australian captain Mitchell Marsh has a special wish ahead of the India-Australia ODI series—he hopes Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma don't produce "too much great cricket" against his team. The comment, delivered with a big smile and in good humour, perfectly captures the mix of respect and nervousness Australia feels about facing two of India's greatest batters.

Speaking before the first ODI at Perth's Optus Stadium, Marsh was honest about what having Kohli and Rohit back in Australia means for both teams and the fans.

A Stadium Full of Fans Waiting for Magic

The numbers tell the story. Over 175,000 tickets have been sold across the three ODI matches, with the opening game in Perth being completely sold out—and this despite a 90 percent chance of rain! That's the pulling power of Kohli and Rohit, who are returning to international cricket after a seven-month gap since India's Champions Trophy triumph.

"I think you can see why the ticket sales are so high and why a lot of people are coming to watch them," Marsh said. He acknowledged that if this is indeed their last ODI tour to Australia, then it's going to be something special for everyone watching.

The Greatest Chaser Ever

Marsh didn't hold back in his praise for Kohli, calling him "the greatest chaser ever" in the white-ball format. Anyone who has watched cricket knows this isn't an exaggeration. Kohli's record while chasing in ODIs is simply mind-blowing, and Australia has been at the receiving end of his brilliance many times.

"I had the privilege of playing against them quite a lot over the journey. They are obviously legends of the game," the Australian captain said. But then came the funny part. "And if it is their last time on Australian soil, I hope they enjoy it and I hope people can witness—not too much great cricket from them—but witness two of the greats playing in Australia."

You can almost picture him grinning while saying that!

Leading Australia at Home

This series is also special for Marsh, who is captaining Australia in Pat Cummins' absence due to injury. For him, leading the team at home against a packed stadium and India's star-studded lineup is a dream come true.

"Any time you're captaining your country is always a huge honour. Playing at home is always extra special," he said. "To see the stadium packed out against India, it's going to be a great experience for our group."

Perth Pitch: Game Could Be Won Early

Marsh also shared his thoughts on how the match might play out at Optus Stadium. Perth pitches are known to help fast bowlers early on, with the ball swinging and seaming around. Both teams have quality pace attacks, so the first 10 overs could decide the match.

"Often you see Perth Stadium can swing around with a new ball and both teams will be looking to do early damage on that wicket," Marsh explained. But he also expects the game to become a run-fest as it goes on. "I believe it's going to be a high-scoring affair, but getting through the first 10 overs for both teams will be a challenge and maybe where the game's won and lost."

A Bittersweet Occasion

For Indian fans, this series carries a lot of emotion. Both Kohli and Rohit have already retired from Tests and T20Is, making ODIs the only format where they still play for India. At 36 and 38 years old respectively, there's no certainty about how much longer they'll continue, which is why every match feels precious.

For Australia, facing these two legends one more time is both exciting and a bit scary. They've caused enough damage to Australian bowlers over the years!

As the series kicks off today, all eyes will be on whether Marsh's cheeky wish comes true—or whether Kohli and Rohit have one more masterclass left in them on Australian soil.