Australia defeated India by 34 runs in first ODI in Sydney today. They now take a 1-0 lead in the three match series. Electing to bat, Australia posted 288 for five at the Sydney Cricket Ground. In reply, India were stopped at 254 for nine in the stipulated 50 overs. Opener Rohit Sharma top-scored for the visitors with a fine 133 off 129 balls. Peter Handscomb was the highest scorer for the hosts with his 73-run knock while Usman Khwaja (59) and Shaun Marsh (54) also scored half-centuries. M S Dhoni was dsimissed for 51 and Jhye Richardson took four wickets. Earlier Peter Handscomb switched gears in time to score a fighting 73 as a collective batting effort from the middle-order steered Australia to a competitive 288 for five against India in the first One-day International, here Saturday.

Usman Khawaja (59) and Shaun Marsh (54) scored half-centuries for Australia who lost skipper Aaron Finch (6) in a slow start after electing to bat. A late charge from Handscomb and Stoinis meant that the hosts scored 93 runs in the last 10 overs, 59 of them coming in the last five. They added 68 runs off 59 balls for in their fifth-wicket partnership as Handscomb delighted the home fans with eight boundaries including two sixes while Stoinis hit two fours and as many shots over the ropes. Spinners Kuldeep Yadav (2/54) and Ravindra Jadeja (1/48) shared three wickets between them while pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/66) accounted for two batsmen.