Ravindra Jadeja’s quickfire unbeaten 44, combined with three wicket hauls from concussion substitute Yuzvendra Chahal and T. Natarajan as India defeated Australia by 11 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the three match series on Friday.
After being sent in to bat by Australian skipper, India started disastrously by losing Shikhar Dhawan to Mitchell Starc early.
Skipper Virat Kohli failed to get going as he was caught and bowled by debutant Mitchell Swepson for 9.
Sanju Samson looked good during his brief stay at the crease. The 26-year-old smashed Swepson for a six and a four in the same over. However, he fell to Moises Henriques for a 15 ball 23.
KL Rahul became Henriques second victim as he was taken superbly by Sean Abbott at long on for a well made 51.
Manish Pandey and Hardik Pandya fell cheaply leaving India in a spot of bother at 114/6.
Ravi Jadeja in the end scored a breezy 44 off 23 balls to take India to a competitive score of 161/7 at the end of their allotted 20 overs.
Henriques was Australia’s best bowler with figures of 3/22, while Starc ended up with 2 wickets.
Chasing 162, the opening pair of Aaron Finch and D’Arcy Short made a fantastic beginning by adding 56 runs for the opening wicket. Skipper Finch after being dropped by Manish Pandey at backward point,failed to capitalize as he fell to a brilliant catch at long off by Pandya of the substitute Yuzvendra Chahal for 35.
The leg-spinner in his next over claimed the prize scalp of the in-form Steve Smith, as Sanju Samson took an outstanding diving catch in the deep.
Debutant T Natarajan trapped the dangerous Glenn Maxwell in front of the stumps for 2.
Moises Henriques scored a quickfire 30, but his dismissal to Deepak Chahar in the 18th over ended the home side’s hopes of victory.
The hosts ended up with 150/7 at the end of their allotted 20 overs, giving India a 11 run victory.
Yuzvendra Chahal was declared the Man of the Match.