India spoiled the hosts' Australia Day party but celebrated the 67th Republic Day in style with a dominating 37-run win to claim the first T20 international in Adelaide on Tuesday.
A charged-up Virat Kohli once again hammered the Australia attack, this time scoring 90 not out to take India to 188 for 3. It was then supported by MS Dhoni's famous choke-with-spin T20 strategy, where Ravindra Jadeja (2 for 21) and R Ashwin (2 for 28) played the lead roles, but the pick of the bowlers was debutant Jasprit Bumrah, who ended with figures of 3 for 23.
Australia were bowled out for 151 in 19.3 overs. Among the wicket-takers was also debutant Hardik Pandya but he gave away 37 runs for two wickets in his three overs, including six wides.
Returning to international cricket for the first time since the 2011 World Cup, Ashish Nehra ended with decent figures of 1 for 30 in four overs.
The win gave India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Skipper Aaron Finch's 33-ball 44 were the only notable numbers in the Australia batting line-up that failed to capitalise on the brisk 47-run opening stand.
ALSO SEE Raina scored 41 off 34 balls
Ashwin began in an expensive fashion, giving away 17 runs in the second over of the Australian innings. But once Bumrah separated the openers by dismissing David Warner for 17, the Indian spinners took over. Ashwin came back to give away just 11 runs and take two wickets in his next three overs.
Jadeja got rid of India's nemesis Steven Smith for 21 and Ashwin sent top-scorer Finch back as Australia's chase fell apart. Making his comeback, Shane Watson batted at No. 6 and could score only 12 before being dismissed by Ashwin.
ALSO SEE Bumrah took 3 wickets
Earlier, put in to bat, Kohli played a blinder of an innings to help India post a challenging total on the board. India were off to a flying start thanks to some powerful batting by opener Rohit Sharma.
The visitors were scoring at 10 runs an over in the first four overs but the comeback man Watson's opening over saw momentum swing in Australia's favour as the veteran allrounder dismissed the Indian opener openers - Rohit (31 off 20) and Shikhar Dhawan (5 off 8) - in quick succession.
While Dhawan struggled in his scratchy innings, Rohit played a cracking cameo at a strike rate of 155.00, including four boundaries and a six. That brought two new men in the middle with Suresh Raina partnering Kohli.
Kohli took some time to get his eye in but once he had done that, Aussie bowlers were taken to the cleaners by his bat. Raina, at the other end, played second fiddle to India's Test captain, but Kohli's stroke-making didn't let Raina's run-a-ball pace hurt the innings.
Raina did well by letting Kohli farm most of the strike. Together, the duo added 134 runs for the third wicket. However, Raina started opening up in the later stages of the innings. He was dismissed by James Faulkner for a 34-ball 41.
MS Dhoni walked out to bat in the final over and smashed the first ball he faced for a massive six and the next delivery for another boundary through the off side. Kohli remained unbeaten on 90, which included 9 fours and 2 sixes.
The much-anticipated return of Yuvraj Singh fell short of the batting crease as he didn't get a chance to bat.
For the Aussies, Watson was the pick of the bowler with 2 for 24 while Faulkner picked up one wicket. Shaun Tait was expensive in his comeback after four years, with figures of 0 for 45. Like Pandya, he too bowled six wides.
The second T20I will be played in Melbourne on Friday, where Australia must win to keep the series alive.
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