India vs Australia, 1st ODI: KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja Guide India To 5-Wicket Win Over Australia

KL Rahul revelled under pressure with a composed 75 after Mohammed Shami's mesmerising spell of seam bowling as India overcame initial jitters with elan in their comfortable five-wicket win against Australia in the opening ODI in Mumbai on Friday. India now lead the three-match series 1-0. After being put in to bat, Australia suffered a dramatic collapse, losing six wickets for 19 runs inside eight overs to get bowled out for 188 in 35.4 overs, courtesy 3/17 from Shami. Mitchell Starc then blew away the Indian top-order with some incisive swing bowling as India were left tottering at 39 for 4 just after the end of the Powerplay.

Skipper Hardik Pandya (25) did stem the rot but India weren't out of the woods when he was dismissed with the scoreboard reading 83 for 5.

But Ravindra Jadeja (45 not out, 69 balls), after having bowled nine tight overs of left-arm spin, gave adequate support in his unbroken 108-run stand with Rahul.

India won the game in 39.5 overs.

But Rahul does deserve the credit for anchoring the innings in the face of a storm, and has taken to the role of a No.5 keeper-batter like fish takes to water.

He enjoys the low-scoring scrappy battles and Friday at Wankhede was one such occasion.

The twilight hour, however, did belong to Starc. The Australian quick moved the new ball dangerously in the air as well as off the surface. He pinned Virat Kohli (4) in front of the wickets off the penultimate ball of the fifth over and, with the final delivery of that over, trapped Suryakumar Yadav leg-before for a first-ball duck.

The right-arm pacer Sean Abbott too got the ball to jag back in, trapping Shubman Gill leg-before but the Indian batter reviewed successfully after being adjudged out.

Gill had luck riding in