India, Oct. 22 -- Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan pointed out that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma returned to international cricket after nearly seven months without fully going through the preparation process. The former cricketer suggested that it has led India to field an extra batter, leaving Kuldeep Yadav out of the playing XI against Australia in Perth. The two stalwarts failed to score big as Kohli was dismissed for an eight-ball duck, while Rohit also departed cheaply for just eight in the series opener at the Optus Stadium, Perth

Rohit struggled against the new ball under the overcast Perth skies and was eventually caught at slip. Kohli, on the other hand, fell once more to a delivery targeting the fifth-stump line, edging i...