Steve Smith's ominously fluent hundred and a captain's century from Aaron Finch have guided Australia to a comfortable 66-run win in the ODI series opener against India at the SCG.
Smith (105), Finch (114), David Warner (69) and Glenn Maxwell (45) dismantled and demoralised the Indian attack, with the hosts storming to a total of 6-374 thanks partly to some poor fielding from the tourists.
In reply, Shikhar Dhawan, who was responsible for arguably the most costly and cringeworthy error in the field, and Mayank Agarwal rocketed India to 0-53 after five overs.
India captain Virat Kohli extended the entertaining start to Friday's chase with a flurry of boundaries but chipped a catch to Finch on 21 as the tourists crashed to 4-104 in the 14th over.
Dhawan (74) and Hardik Pandya (90) gave their vocal supporters hope of a miracle, while Adam Zampa finished with figures of 4-54.
India finished well short at 8-308, with Marcus Stoinis's side injury and dropped catches that reprieved Kohli, Dhawan and Pandya among Australia's only concerns.
The match finished belatedly at 11:09pm AEDT, with slow over rates and protesting pitch invaders responsible for delays.
It is undoubtedly Smith's freestyling start to the summer — which would have ended on 13 if not for the batsman's successful review and could easily have ended on 38 if not for Dhawan's schoolboy error on the boundary — that will concern India the most.
The battle within the battle between Smith and Kohli, widely regarded as the two best batsmen in the world, was a lopsided affair in the opening fixture of the three-match series.
Smith's previous home summer was below his lofty standards, while he was concussed during a recent tour of England and then never really got going during the recent Indian Premier League.
But the 31-year-old, who gleefully declared earlier this week he had "found" his hands, generally produces his best in big series.
Smith set the bar high at the start of a long tour that ends with four Tests, earning a pat on the back from Kohli as he raced to 50 in 36 deliveries then reached three figures in just 62 balls.
Maxwell and James Faulkner are the only Australians to have registered an ODI ton in more rapid fashion.
It was an emotive century, as it was for Finch on the sixth anniversary of the death of Phillip Hughes. Applause filled the SCG at 4:08pm AEDT in memory of Hughes, whose Australian men's Test player number was 408.
Finch — who shared a 156-run partnership with Warner then a 108-run stand with Smith — and Maxwell also found form on Friday after quiet IPL campaigns.
Maxwell's audacious 19-ball cameo, the highlight of which was a reverse-swept six off spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, ensured Smith's prediction was on the money.
Earlier, both sides took part in a Barefoot Circle ceremony prior to the start of play to acknowledge Australia's First Nations people and to take a stand against racism.
Australia and India also donned black armbands to honour Dean Jones following his shock death at age 59 in September.
The second match of the series will be played at the SCG on Sunday, with the third fixture to be staged at Canberra's Manuka Oval on Wednesday.
AAP/ABC
