Fifties from Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb and a 47* from Marcus Stoinis helped Australia to score 288/5 in the first ODI of the series at Sydney. Initially, it looked like Australia finished 20 or 30 runs on the slow track at SCG but the three quick wickets at the start ensured that India fell 29 runs short at the end. Shikhar Dhawan 0(1), Virat Kohli 3(8) and Ambati Rayudu 0(2) couldn’t contribute much and India were struggling 3-4 in the fourth over of the match and couldn’t escape from this blow.

Rohit Sharma scored a brilliant hundred, 133 off 129 balls, added partnership of 137 from 172 balls for the fourth wicket with Mahendra Singh Dhoni 51(96). India couldn’t make another big partnership after this which could have taken the game close.

India started well, Bhuvneshwar Kumar clean bowled Aaron Finch out early as he picked up the 100^th wicket in style.

Kuldeep Yadav got the breakthrough in his very first over as Carey looks to cut. What a catch by Rohit Sharma at slip, Alex Carey miss timed it.

India bowlers put pressure on Australian batsmen by not giving easy singles. Shaun Marsh was beaten twice in a raw in the 13^th over bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and then puts away the 4^th in style, Australia were 56/2 after 13^th over. After three straight dot balls, Kuldeep Yadav gives singles in next three. Usman Khawaja was settled, used the feet against Kuldeep Yadav to rotate strike, he made the game looks so simple and had faced 34 deliveries scoring 18. Australia needed a partnership from Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh. A slower one from Shami, both Usman Khawaja and Mahendra Singh Dhoni missed it giving four byes to Australia.

Virat Kohli brings Ravindra Jadeja in the 17^th over, the very first ball straight on to the pads and Shaun Marsh takes a simple single pushing to the leg side.  It was working for Australia in Singles, five straight singles of Ravindra Jadeja 2nd over. Then Shaun Marsh puts away a short pitch delivery from Kuldeep Yadav, very good use of feet, scores four singles and a boundary, another good over for Australia. 50 runs partnership of 64 balls between Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh came in the 21^st over and Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja couldn’t stop the singles and put pressure back on batsmen. Virat Kohli brings Ambati Rayudu in 22^nd over to break the partnership.

Both Australian batsmen looks settled and brings 100 in the 22.5 overs, Khawaja reverse sweeps but goes in the air, a full stretch dive from Kuldeep Yadav couldn’t stop the boundary. Two poor deliveries from Rayudu in the next over and Usman Khawaja puts both to leg side boundary in style. Ambati Rayudu gives 13 runs from his two overs at this stage and India in desperate need of a wicket here.

Khaleel Ahmed, who bowled exceptionally well in the power play, comes into the attack and replaces Rayudu in 26^th over. Usman Khawaja completed his fifty by working a single in the leg side, first fifty in Australia and first since 2016. Brilliant reverse sweep again from Usman Khawaja of Ravindra Jadeja delivery and runs comes easily for him reverse sweeping.

Khaleel Ahmed finds it tough to control his line, bowls two wide’s in 28^th over. Australia looked good at this stage and if they can score 180 in next 22 overs, they get 300 which is a good score on this track.

Jadeja got the break-through for India, Usman Khawaja tries to sweep a straight one pitched outside off stump from Ravindra Jadeja and hits him on the pads. Usman Khawaja calls for a review thinking it is going leg side without hitting stumps. Hawkeye shows ball is going to hit the leg stump in half and its umpires call, so the decision stays and Usman Khawaja is out LBW, India breaks the 92 run stand of the 3^rd wicket.

Australia plays down 100 dot balls till 30^th over of the game because of this India were able to control the run rate. Peter Handscomb and Shaun Marsh played sensibly, trying to work out singles, using the pace of the bowler not playing attacking shots. Peter Handscomb hits back to back boundaries off Bhuvneshwar Kumar right after the drinks break and it looked like the message has come from the dressing room for 300+.

Cracking shot and finds the gap as well, fifty comes for Shaun Marsh, aggressive and using the feet effectively from the start, adding another partnership 44 off 44 with Peter Handscomb at this stage. Australia repeats, two boundaries off Khaleel Ahmed as well after scoring two in the previous over of Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Peter Handscomb is good against pace but Virat Kohli hasn’t given him spin yet, Kuldeep has four overs left. Handscomb and Shaun Marsh complete the 50 run partnership easily off s52 balls. Kohli brings Kuldeep Yadav, he picks up his second, and Shaun Marsh comes down the track and slogs into mid-on into the hands of Mohamed Shami who takes a low catch.

122 dot balls till 39^th over. The wicket is slow and 280 is looking a good score on this track. The game is into last 10 overs, only six runs of last two overs, Australia needed to take some risk to score boundaries here. 200 comes for Australia in 41.2 overs. Kuldeep Yadav continued with a tight line, just three runs given in the 42^nd over.

Marcus Stoinis sends one to stands off Kuldeep Yadav, first six of the match and the first boundary since last 45 balls, followed by another one from Peter Handscomb and completes his fifty in style.

Two sixes in one over and Australia is trying to accelerate. Kuldeep Yadav completes his 10 overs for 2/54.

In the death overs, Peter Handscomb scores two boundaries in the 46^th over of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and brings the 3^rd fifty partnership of the match for Australia. Peter Handscomb again goes against Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 48^th over, pulled him for a six, Ambati Rayudu gets a hand on to it but couldn’t balance and the balls go over the rope. He again tries to hit Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the next delivery through the off side but this time he finds Shikhar Dhawan at deep. Handscomb goes for 73 off 61 balls.

Juicy full toss on the stump to Stoinis by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and put away over square leg boundary for a six in the last over of first innings. Tough time for Bhuvneshwar on the field, Australia slamming 18 runs in the last over with two fours and a six, and 93 runs from the last 10 overs and finishes strongly for 288/5.

After the 3 quick wickets at the start, Rohit Sharma and Mahendra Singh Dhoni steadied the ship for India adding 137 runs for the 4^th wicket. None of the other Indian batsmen couldn’t support Rohit Sharma who made 133 runs, hitting ten fours and six sixes. Bhuvneshwar Kumar scored 29 off 23 balls which actually reduced the losing margin for India.

Jhye Richardson is the pick of the bowler for Australia, he picked up four wickets giving only 26 runs in his quota of 10 overs, which was the difference between India and Australia at the end.