Perth, Oct 19 (NationPress) In the first ODI held in Perth, India pacer Arshdeep Singh commended his captain, Shubman Gill, for providing the bowlers the liberty to implement their strategies, even while defending a modest total of 131 against Australia.

This marked Gill's inaugural match as India's ODI captain, stepping in for Rohit Sharma just before the three-match ODI series against Australia.

India faced a seven-wicket loss in a rain-affected game, with Australian captain Mitchell Marsh remaining not out at 46, while wicketkeeper-batter Josh Philippe and Matthew Renshaw contributed 37 and 21 runs respectively, leading their team to victory in just 21.1 overs.

Arshdeep bowled five overs and managed to take one wicket, ending with figures of 1-31, making him the only fast bowler to take a wicket for India.

"Having played a limited number of ODIs, it’s hard for me to identify differences, but I can affirm that both captains are truly supportive of the bowlers. Today, Shubman encouraged us to stick to our plans and enjoy the game," said the left-arm pacer during the post-match press conference.

"We were aware that our score wasn't substantial, but his message was clear: express yourselves freely."

Regarding Virat Kohli's challenging return to international cricket after a lengthy absence of over seven months, Arshdeep expressed confidence in the former captain's ability to score runs in upcoming matches.

"With over 300 matches for India under his belt, form is simply a term for him. He knows how to regain his rhythm. Sharing the dressing room with him is a privilege, and I believe he will accumulate many runs in this series," stated the pacer.

"It’s a privilege to share the dressing room with him. Looking ahead in the series, I anticipate he'll score heavily. Regarding this format, he has truly mastered it. I’m not sure how he personally feels about it; perhaps I’ll ask him and share it at the next press conference," he added.