Australia’s World Cup-winning captain Michael Clarke believes India missed the services of star all-rounder Hardik Pandya and premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah in the first ODI against Australia in Perth.
Speaking on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, Clarke underlined Pandya’s all-round value, saying his absence was deeply felt in the series opener.
He praised the Indian all-rounder’s batting in the middle order, seam bowling, and attitude, calling him as the kind of player who embodies Australia’s aggressive cricketing mindset.
"His bowling, if he's fully fit, is so important to India, whether it's T20, ODI or if he was still playing Tests. So he was significantly missed in the opening game. His power-hitting in the middle, the bowling and his attitude as well, that take on the Australian attitude, he's always played that brand of cricket," Clarke said.
The former Australian skipper expressed his admiration for Pandya, adding that he wishes the Indian all-rounder still played Test cricket.
"I wish Hardik was still playing Test cricket. I just think he's the genuine bowling all-rounder," Clarke remarked.
Pandya missed the tour of Australia due to a quadriceps injury that had earlier ruled him out of the Asia Cup final.
The selectors named Nitish Kumar Reddy as his replacement for the white-ball series.
Reddy received his debut cap in Perth and made a valuable contribution with the bat lower down the order, though he struggled to make an impact with the ball.
India were outplayed in the rain-affected series opener, failing to find rhythm across departments.
Frequent interruptions disrupted the batting side’s momentum, and the Indian bowlers were unable to trouble the hosts while defending a modest 131-run target in the 26-over contest.
Clarke said India’s attack lacked bite in Bumrah’s absence, suggesting that his raw pace and precision could have made a difference.
"They missed Bumrah. You add someone with Bumrah's class at 145+ on that pitch, though I still feel they didn't make enough runs, but with Bumrah, it's a very different attack," Clarke added.