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India superstar Virat Kohli wants his team to improve their body language and fielding in the second ODI after a 66-run loss to Australia at the SCG.

Virat Kohli has declared there are no excuses for sloppy fielding and poor body language as India seek to level their three-match ODI series against Australia.

Kohli had stressed the importance of early momentum prior to Friday's series opener, which marked the start of a tour spanning three one-dayers, three Twenty20s and four Tests.

But costly errors helped Steve Smith and Aaron Finch post centuries and pilot Australia to a total of 6-374 at the SCG.

Kohli was responsible for one of the misfields that gifted runs, while teammates missed chances to dismiss Finch on 36 and 51 plus Smith on 38.

Australia were likewise generous during their 66-run victory, reprieving Kohli, Hardik Pandya and Shikhar Dhawan.

Both teams could arguably be forgiven for lacking their standard sharpness, having spent the preceding 14 days in quarantine, but Kohli shot down that suggestion ahead of Sunday's ODI at the same venue.

"We got enough time to prepare," Kohli said.

"I don't think there are any excuses.

"We have been playing T20 cricket, so that can have an effect on the guys in the field.

"But we've all played so much ODI cricket in the past ... the body language in the field after 25 overs wasn't great, that was the most disappointing part."

Counterpart Finch likewise denied that quarantine rust could be blamed for his side's dropped catches, which included an Adam Zampa error in the deep that came when Kohli was on one.

"Half the guys have been playing Shield cricket, the other half have been playing IPL and training hard out at Blacktown when we came back into quarantine," Finch told cricket.com.au.

"A little lapse in concentration every now and then.

"But you've got to take them. If we take those chances we probably put the game beyond doubt a little earlier."

Meanwhile, Kohli admitted he may need to get creative given the absence of an allrounder in India's XI.

Pandya, who top-scored with 90 on Friday, is currently unable to bowl because of a back injury.

"We'll have to find ways of getting a few overs from a few part-timers," Kohli said.