Pandya and spinners secure India's win against Australia

Cricket - India v Australia - First One Day International Match - Chennai, India – September 17, 2017 – Hardik Pandya of India (2R) celebrates his team's victory with his teammates as James Faulkner of Australia (L) looks on. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

CHENNAI, India (Reuters) - Hardik Pandya's all-round brilliance and some excellent bowling by the Indian spinners secured a 26-run victory against Australia under the Duckworth-Lewis method in the rain-hit first one-day international on Sunday.

Pandya struck a career-best 83 and Mahendra Singh Dhoni made 79 to help the hosts overcome a top-order collapse and post 281-7 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

However, a lengthy mid-innings rain break left Australia needing 164 runs in 21 overs to go 1-0 up in the five-match series.

Cricket - India v Australia - First One Day International Match - Chennai, India – September 17, 2017 – Yuzvendra Chahal, team's captain Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni of India celebrate the dismissal of Glenn Maxwell of Australia. REUTERS/Adnan Abidii

Glenn Maxwell smashed 39 and James Faulkner made 32 not out but Pandya (2-28) and India's spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal (3-30) and Kuldeep Yadav (2-33) combined to restrict Australia to 137-9.

Earlier, home captain Virat Kohli's decision to bat appeared to backfire when Nathan Coulter-Nile's three-wicket burst reduced India to 11-3 inside six overs.

Kedar Jadhav and Rohit Sharma then added 53 runs for the fourth wicket to arrest the slide.

Cricket - India v Australia - First One Day International Match - Chennai, India – September 17, 2017 – Yuzvendra Chahal of India (R) celebrates after dismissing Matthew Wade of Australia. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

Jadhav lived dangerously to score his 40, while Sharma made 28 before both fell to Marcus Stoinis, leaving India reeling at 87-7 in the 22nd over.

A 200-plus score looked a distant dream for the hosts at that stage but Pandya and Dhoni had other ideas.

Pandya clobbered Adam Zampa for three successive sixes in a 24-run over, bringing up his fifty off 48 balls in the process.

Cricket - India v Australia - First One Day International Match - Chennai, India – September 17, 2017 – Yuzvendra Chahal of India celebrates after dismissing Glenn Maxwell of Australia (L). REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

The all-rounder blasted five sixes and as many fours in his 66-ball blitz before falling to the leg-spinner.

Dhoni, who took 67 balls to score his first boundary, accelerated towards the end and raised 72 runs with Bhuvneshwar Kumar who scored 32 not out.

Australia wobbled early in their chase as Jasprit Bumrah bowled Hilton Cartwright and then took a swirling skyer to dismiss rival skipper Steve Smith.

Cricket - India v Australia - First One Day International Match - Chennai, India – September 17, 2017 – Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and team's captain Virat Kohli (L-R) of India celebrate the dismissal of David Warner of Australia. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

Yadav dismissed David Warner for 25 but Maxwell looked in murderous mood as he clobbered the left-arm wristspinner for three successive sixes.

Chahal ended Maxwell's 18-ball blitz and went on to claim two more wickets as India triumphed despite dropping three catches which could have cost them dearly in such a small chase.

Eden Gardens in Kolkata will host the second one-dayer on Thursday.

Cricket - India v Australia - First One Day International Match - Chennai, India – September 17, 2017 – Glenn Maxwell of Australia plays a shot. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; Editing by Clare Fallon)

Cricket - India v Australia - First One Day International Match - Chennai, India – September 17, 2017 – Hardik Pandya of India smiles after dismissing team's captain Steven Smith of Australia. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

Cricket - India v Australia - First One Day International Match - Chennai, India – September 17, 2017 – Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav (L-R) of India wait as rain delays the play. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

Cricket - India v Australia - First One Day International Match - Chennai, India – September 17, 2017 – India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni plays a shot. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

Cricket - India v Australia - First One Day International Match - Chennai, India – September 17, 2017 – Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Kuldeep Yadav (R) of India celebrate the dismissal of David Warner of Australia (C). REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

Cricket - India v Australia - First One Day International Match - Chennai, India – September 17, 2017 – Indian fans react as Australia's David Warner takes a catch to dismiss India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

Cricket - India v Australia - First One Day International Match - Chennai, India – September 17, 2017 – India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Hardik Pandya talks as Australia's captain Steven Smith looks on. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

Cricket - India v Australia - First One Day International Match - Chennai, India – September 17, 2017 – Indian fans cheer their team as Australia's wicketkeeper Matthew Wade looks on. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

Cricket - India v Australia - First One Day International Match - Chennai, India – September 17, 2017 – Australia's Nathan Coulter-Nile dives to stop the ball. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

Cricket - India v Australia - First One Day International Match - Chennai, India – September 17, 2017 – India's Hardik Pandya plays a shot. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi