On one of the flattest WACA tracks in recent times, Rohit Sharma’s unbeaten 171 went in vain as Australia rode on skipper Steve Smith’s 149 and Bailey’s 112 to script a five-wicket victory in the first cricket one-dayer here.
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He brilliantly caught and bowled Finch (8) in his second over, then had the unsafe Warner (5) caught at midwicket by Kohli in his third.
George Bailey admits it can be demoralising to bat with Steve Smith because of how easily the Australian captain can make his craft look.
With three pacers, two medium pacers and an irregular spinner in their line-up, Australia were on the back foot as the right-handed pair kept on piling runs and inching closer to individual milestones. James Faulkner (1) joined Marsh to complete the formalities in 49.2 overs.
It looked like India had enough because they had the momentum, are fresh and had a surprise package in Barinder Sran, who was awarded his India cap by MS Dhoni earlier in the day.
If India were nervous ahead of the first ODI of an important series down under, they certainly didn’t show it, as the men in blue posted a target of 309 for Australia to chase.
India clocked up 61 runs from the final five overs, with Rohit eventually ending with 13 fours and seven sixes in a breathtaking 163-ball innings.
Rohit added 36 runs for the first wicket with Shikhar Dhawan but the latter was bounced out for just 9 by Josh Hazlewood.
Virat Kohli weighed in with 91, as he and Sharma put on a second-wicket stand worth 207.
Though Rohit scored centuries in the ODI and Twenty20 series against South Africa at home recently, his failure in the Test series led many to question his place in the team. But that was the start of a fantastic counterattack from Australia as Smith and Bailey stitched 242 runs for the third wicket and scripted an easy victory. India 82/1 after 17 overs.
It was the eighth 200-plus run partnerships for India outside Asia after an unbeaten 201 between Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2008-09.
The Rohit-Kohli combination, after building a solid foundation, tore apart an inexperienced Australian attack as their debutant duo of left-arm fast bowler Joel Paris and Scott Boland were taken to the cleaners.
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Mahendra Singh Dhoni scored 18 whereas Ravindra Jadeja scored 10.
