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Team India registered a comprehensive five-wicket victory in the first ODI of their ongoing series against Australia. After an exceptional effort saw the Australia batters bowled out for just 188 runs, the Men in Blue rode on KL Rahul's unbeaten 75 and Ravindra Jadeja's 45 off 69 balls to chase down the target with 10.1 overs to spare.
However, things could have been completely different in the middle of their batting innings when the side lost four wickets for 39 runs within 10 overs with the side reeling at 83 for 5. Then stand-in skipper Hardik Pandya stood his ground to set up a 44-run stand alongside Rahul.
During his innings, however, there was a moment that left former India skipper Virat Kohli unhappy. Off Marcus Stoinis' bowling, the all-rounder received a free hit and a chance to smash the ball out of the park but failed to do so. Kohli, who was already back in the pavilion by then, was seemingly displeased with Pandya's shot selection.
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Despite the hiccups at the beginning of their battings, India survived their flurry of wickets loss as Rahul and Jadeja brought the game back into their hands.
Stoinis eventually got the wicket of Pandya with a brilliant bouncer that found the top edge of the skipper's bat and fell into the safe hands of Cameron Green. This was the second of his two wickets, with the all-rounder previously catching Ishan Kishan LBW in the second over of the match.
The other three wickets were taken in quick succession by Mitchell Starc to get Kohli (4), Suryakumar Yadav (0), and Shubman Gill (20) Rahul, whose unbeaten innings of 75 runs off 91 balls and unbeaten partnership of 108 runs with Ravindra Jadeja (45 off 69) as India sealed a five-wicket victory.
The second ODI of the series will be played on March 19 in Vishakhapatnam.
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