The format change finally brought some cheer and the preparations for World Twenty20 got off to a perfect start for Team India. Bowlers seemed to have found their mojo back as they helped India defend their total for the first time on this tour. Australia were bowled out for 151 in 19.3 overs in a massive chase of 189. Debutant Bumrah justifies selection Debutante Jasprit Bumrah was the pick of the Indian bowler finishing with the figures of 3/23 to steer India to 37-run victory in the first Twenty20 international of the three-match series at Adelaide Oval. The second Twenty20 will be played at Melbourne on January 29. Openers Aaron Finch and David Warner provided Australia a blistering start, collecting 34 runs in the first three overs. Skipper MS Dhoni's ploy of giving the new ball to R Ashwin backfired as the spinner yielded in 17 runs on the back of Finch's four and a six. Warner also joined the party in the next over by hitting Nehra for boundary and a six.

Kohli's Dream Run Continues

Kohli remained unbeaten on 90, his highest in Twenty20, and bludgeoned two sixes and nine fours in his 55-ball blitzkrieg to help India post mammoth total on the board. Raina played a good knock and supported Kohli from the other end as he compiled 41 off 34 balls which included a six and three fours. India, after being asked to bat by Australia, handed Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah a T20 debut and included veterans Yuvraj Singh and Ashish Nehra in the starting eleven.

Rohit Sharma started off in the same fashion and continued from where he left in the ODI series, smacking comeback man Shaun Tait for a boundary and six in the first over. Rohit used Tait's pace well and picked away off the pads for four through square leg before his top edged went for a six on the fourth delivery.

Rohit Sharma started off in the same fashion and continued from where he left in the ODI series, smacking comeback man Shaun Tait for a boundary and six in the first over. Rohit used Tait's pace well and picked away off the pads for four through square leg before his top edged went for a six on the fourth delivery.

After conceding 31 runs in the first three overs, skipper Aaron Finch forced to make an early change, brought in James Faulkner in the fourth over of the innings. The left-arm pacer created a change for his team when Rohit's top edge was dropped by Cameron Boyce at short third man. Dropped did not bother Rohit at all and smashed it over deep mid wicket for another boundary.

Another bowling change in the next over got the results for Australia when another comeback man Shane Watson struck on his first delivery to remove man-in-form Rohit for 31. The batsman was beaten by the slower offcutter and drove straight to the mid-on where Faulkner made no mistake. India suffered another blow in the form of Shikhar Dhawan in the same over. The southpaw looked deceptive on slower short ball and cut it to wicketkeeper.

The Flourish At The End

Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina took the onus and batted well in tandem to repair the damage with fifty runs partnership for the third wicket and take India past hundred in 12.2 overs. Kohli was in supreme touch as he raced to his 10th T20I fifty from 32 balls after hitting back-to-back fours followed by couple off Kane Richardson in 14th over. Kohli hammered six fours and a six during the course of his fifty. The duo went on to complete century stand off 73 balls in 16.1 overs.
Faulkner struck in the last over to end the partnership by dismissing Raina. Under-fire skipper MS Dhoni came out good and enthralled the crowd with a six on his first delivery followed by a four.
Brief Scores: India 188/3 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 90*, Suresh Raina 41) beat Australia 151 all out in 19.3 overs (Aaron Finch 44, Jasprit Bumrah 3/23) by 37 runs.