India v Australia: Pandya and Dhoni star as hosts win 1st ODI
First ODI scores (Chennai)
India beat Australia by 26 runs (D/L)
India: 281-7 (50/50; Pandya 83, Dhoni 79; Coulter-Nile 3-44)
Australia 137-9 (21/21; Maxwell 39; Chahal 3-30)
Match report
Hardik Pandya and Mahendra Singh Dhoni taught Australia a lesson about batting in India as the hosts sealed a 26-run victory in the first one-day international in Chennai.
Pandya hit a career-best 83 from number seven, dominating a century stand with Dhoni before the latter's 79 ushered his side to 281 for seven with a trademark late flourish.
A lengthy rain delay saw the chase revised to 164 in 21 overs, with the tourists struggling to an underpowered 137 for nine.
India opted to bat first and soon found themselves in peril, Nathan Coulter-Nile excelling with the new ball to leave the home team 11 for three.
Ajinkya Rahane and Manish Pandey were welcome wickets, but captain Virat Kohli - for a duck, no less - was the real prize.
Marcus Stoinis kept the ball rolling, removing Rohit Sharma (28) and Kedhar Jadhav (40) before the halfway mark but that brought Dhoni and Pandya together.
The younger man took the lead in their 118-run stand, heavily outscoring his senior partner and slamming Adam Zampa for three consecutive sixes before the spinner eventually took his costly revenge.
Dhoni then sped up to marshal the death overs, with support from Bhuveneshar Kumar's 32 not out.
After finally retaking the field, with a T20-style target, Australia buckled.
Five of their top seven were dismissed in single figures with David Warner, remarkably playing his first ODI in India, mustering 25 and Glenn Maxwell counter-punching with 39 from just 18 balls.
Pandya added two scalps to his earlier runs, captain Steve Smith and Travis Head, while Yuzvendra Chahal recorded three for 30 with his leg-breaks.
All-rounder James Faulkner struck a few late blows to spare Australian blushes but even his unbeaten 32 could not make it a close finish.
The second game of the five-match series takes place on Thursday and India have already been chalked up as the 8/15 favourites by Sky Bet.
Australia can be backed at 6/4 to level the series at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.