By BD Naraayannkar
Mumbai, Mar 17 (UNI) A special innings from out-of-form KL Rahul and inform Ravindra Jadeja saw India winning the first ODI by five wickets against Australia at Wankhede Stadium here on Friday.
The duo put on a match-winning unbroken 108 runs partnership for the sixth wicket. India were in a spot of bother with the score reading 83/5 in 19.2 overs.
India crossed the mark with 10.1 overs to spare, but they were made to sweat it out.
Though Rahul and Jadeja played some streaky shots and missed few balls, they were on the top of the game as they batted with a lot of character.
Rahul notched up his 13th ODI fifty and remained unbeaten on 75, scored in 91 balls with nine boundaries and a six. Jadeja too remained unbeaten on 45 in addition to his 2-fer and a fantastic catch in the field.
Rahul also stitched a very important 44-run partnership with Captain Hardik Pandya for the fifth wicket after India were under the pump at 39/4.
However, Marcus Stoinis bounced out Pandya who made 25 off 31 balls with three boundaries and a six.
The new ball swung and seamed around, and Australia reduced the hosts to 16/3 in five overs.
Stoinis provided the first breakthrough and Mitchell Starc was at his fiery best removing Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav off successive deliveries.
The left arm speedster should have dismissed Shubman Gill on 2, but Josh Inglis spilled the catch.
The Indian opener survived a few close shaves, but failed to capitalise as he eventually fell to Starc and thereby becoming the latter's third victim.
This was India's first win at Wankhede since October 2011 against England. They had lost each of their last three against South Africa in 2015, New Zealand (2017) and Australia (2020).
Earlier, Pandya won the toss and sent Australia into bat.
Mohammad Shami and Mohammad Siraj's three-fers helped India skittle out Australia to a below-par score of 188.
Shami was outstanding in his second spell and ripped through the Australian middle order. He picked up three wickets in three overs, including two wicket-maidens.
Siraj gave the finishing touches by picking up the last two wickets after taking an early wicket of Tarvis Head (5) whose stumps were shattered by an inner-edge.
Shami ended with figures of 3/17 in 6 overs and Siraj 3/29 in 5.4 overs.
Mitchell Marsh (81 off 65 balls 10x4s 5x6s) and Steve Smith made runs at quick pace and raced to 52 runs partnership for the second wicket.
Smith fell after making 22 runs off 30 balls to an harmless ball off Hardik Pandya, but this did not deter Marsh from cracking his 14th ODI half-century.
Marsh raised the stakes after his half-century and placed India under tremendous pressure when the visitors looked to get beyond 300 runs total, but Indian bowlers had other plans.
Ravindra Jadeja broke Marsh and Marnus Labuschagne's (15) partnership and then took a fantastic diving catch to send Labuschagne off right arm leg spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
Shami cleaned up Josh Inglis (26) after he had pulled him for a six before he clattered Cameron Green's (12) stumps.
Shami got rid of Marcus Stoinis (5) after Shubman Gill held to an edge in the first slip before dropping one. Jadeja then sent back Glenn Maxwell (8) in the same fashion.
Australia went down from 129/2 to 188 all out, placing India in an advantageous position.
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