PHOTOS: Wade, Hussey fire Australia to win over India

Australia's tally of 171 for four proved too tough a target for an India team hoping for a turnaround in fortunes after suffering a 4-0 hammering in the test series and the tourists managed just 140 for six in the rain-delayed contest.

- Scorecard

The change of format and infusion of young blood failed to bring about a turnaround for India as Australia thrashed the lacklustre visitors by 31 runs. The induction of the limited overs specialists didn't bring about any change in the script as neither the batsmen nor the bowlers could create any sort of impact. 

Brett Lee put Australia on the right track in the third ball of the Indian innings.  

Sehwag was the first one to begin it all in a rather characteristic dismissal this summer—looking to play on the onside, closing the face of his bat too early and edging a catch, off the side of his bat to lone slip (David Hussey). 

Opener David Warner (25) led an early charge and then Wade took over as India were once again made to look inadequate in the middle.

Indians opted to field first and sensing a slow wicket, relied almost exclusively on its spinners but still found the home batsmen come out strongly at them. 

Ravichandran Ashwin was brought in first up at the sight of Warner, knowing the off-spinner had scalped him twice in the final Test in Adelaide last month. 

Ashwin was allowed to get away in his first over but in the next, Warner slammed 6,4 and 6 off successive balls to break the spell over him. The first of this hit for the maximum took everyone's breath away as it was a switch hit and still carried the ball beyond ropes at widish long on.

The left-handed Warner didn't last long but his 25 off 14 balls with two sixes and a four had given Australia the early momentum.

Warner (25) and Travis Birt (17) were the first two wickets to fall, both falling to catches by Suresh Raina at the edge of the ring off Vinay Kumar and Ravichandran Ashwin.

While Warner was dismissed in the fourth over, Birt was out off Ashwin's last ball, the 10th over of the Australian innings.

However, Birt did his bit, helping Matthew Wade put on 41 runs for the second wicket.

Wade, playing only his third Twenty20 international, after two unsuccessful ones against South Africa last year, struck cleanly and powerfully to flatten up the largely spin-oriented Indian bowling.

The stumper shifted gear in the eight over when Ashwin was brought in from the other end. He smote him straight down the ground for a six and later really took a liking for Ravindra Jadeja, smacking his third delivery over covers for a four.

In the left-arm spinner's next over, he smashed a four and followed it up with a six to bring up his half century off 34 balls. There was another four off the next to celebrate his maiden landmark in international cricket. 

Australia were now rattling along and Praveen Kumar, returning for his third spell, was hammered for 18 runs with Wade smashing his first and final delivery for a four and a six.

Wade left the centre-stage as soon as the game resumed after a 20-minute rain hold up. He went back to cut the off-spin of Suresh Raina which went straight and hit his leg-stump.

Rahul Sharma had an eventful international debut. 

The lanky leg-spinner got a scare in his first over itself when he tried to take a return catch off Travis Birt but the shot had been so fiercely struck that it split the webbing of his bowling hand.

He came back well though. 

Being entrusted the task of bowling the final over of the innings, Sharma dropped another return catch, before eventually cleaning up David Hussey.

David Hussey put up an all-round show.  

He was the surprise packet for Australia, claiming two wickets for only four runs in his first two overs. He accounted for both Gambhir and Rohit Sharma with his part-time off-spin.  

He also too the catch that accounted for Sehwag in the first over of the Indian innings, bowled by Brett Lee.

Besides his catch and wickets, Hussey played a smart innings of 42 off 30 balls when Australia batted first in the evening. 

Hussey shared a 56-run third wicket stand with Matthew Wade whose 72 off 43 balls with five fours and three sixes was the talking point of the evening.

Daniel Christian impressed with the ball, finishing with figures of two for 35.

The highly regarded Christian first cleaned up a seemingly dangerous Suresh Raina to ensure half the Indian side was back in the hut with a 100 runs still required. 

The 28-year-old then had Ravindra Jadeja (7) caught by David Warner. 

Only skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni held his ground.

He struck an unbeaten 48 off 43 balls with a boundary and three sixes. His late flourish was eye-catching but it was too late by then.

R Ashwin (15 not out) helped the Indian captain put on an unbeaten 59-run stand for the seventh wicket. It was the best partnership of the day for the visitors. 

However, by then the writing was on the wall.