SYDNEY: Australia beat India by 34 runs in the first one-day international in Sydney on Saturday.
The Australians made 288 for five off their 50 overs after winning the toss and restricted India to 254 for nine.
Rohit Sharma blasted 133 off 129 balls in a brave effort to keep India in the contest, while Jhye Richardson took four for 26 for Australia.
Earlier, Test discard Peter Handscomb top-scored with 73 off 61 balls as India restricted Australia to 288 for five. The Australians, who had won just three of their last 24 ODIs, won the toss but fell short of the 327 average score from the five most recent Sydney Cricket Ground ODIs.
The visitors looked well placed to chase down the total, with the two highest run chases at the SCG — 334 by Australia against England in 2011 and 331 by India against the home side in 2016 — well above their target.
Three batsmen reached half-centuries but Handscomb, passed over this week by selectors for this month’s two Tests against Sri Lanka, led the board with six fours and two sixes.
Fellow Test discard Shaun Marsh knocked up 54 off 70 balls while Usman Khawaja made 59 from 81.
All-rounder Marcus Stoinis contributed an unbeaten 47 off 43 balls with two fours and two sixes, while limited-over specialist Glenn Maxwell finished 11 off just five balls.
India’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar finished with two for 59 and wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav claimed two for 54.
Skipper Aaron Finch fell for six in the third over when he was bowled by Kumar for the paceman’s 100th ODI wicket.
Alex Carey fell in Kuldeep´s first over when he attempted to cut the leg-spinner, only to get an outside edge to Rohit Sharma at slip for 24 off 31 balls.
Khawaja and Marsh put on 92 runs for the third wicket before Khawaja was out leg before wicket to spinner Ravindra Jadeja for 59 in the 29th over.
Khawaja was struck on the front pad while attempting to sweep and sought a review but there was no ‘hot spot’ detected off the bat.
Marsh look well set before he holed out to Mohammed Shami off Kuldeep at long on, ending a 53-run stand with Handscomb, who later found Shikhar Dhawan at extra cover off Kumar.
