India win
India might well have gained a lot more from this game for the strife they were put under.
2 for 3 meant the weakness that has hounded them in ICC tournaments lately - not enough substance in the middle order - won't play on their minds as much now.
Because that weakness is sorted. KL Rahul has come in and sorted it. He was on 91 with India needing five to win. He went for an extra cover drive. He wanted four for it but when it sailed over the rope, he went down on his haunches, wondering what could have been. He was thinking, hit four, then hit six, get the century and the win. Instead he gets just the win and walks off unbeaten on 97
Runs for Virat Kohli is always good. Knowing your gun player, your big boss, is in form is soooo freeing when you're chasing a World Cup.
R Ashwin proved his selection was worthwhile. Kuldeep Yadav offered further proof of his evolution. Jasprit Bumrah isn't bowling like he was on ice for a year with a back injury.
Many of players on whom this campaign will rest have shown they are ready today.
Australia, meanwhile, will be asked the same questions they get asked every time they come to the subcontinent. Their batters collapsed to spin. And as if that wasn't enough, the only specialist spinner that they picked for a World Cup in India began his tournament with figures of 8-0-53-0.
2 The lowest score at the fall of third wicket from which any team has gone on to win in men’s ODIs. India, Rahul and Kohli, take a bow.
The galling thing for Adam Zampa is he only gave away four boundaries - three of them came in one over. That means he's been milked around for singles and twos at ease. He's never been able to build pressure. The dew in Chennai might well have hampered him, though, which actually raises questions about Australia's decision to bat having won the toss.
Australia need to find more ways to score on slow pitches; they ate up 173 dot balls in total today. Their spinners need to sit on a good length spot and keep the stumps in play. Ravindra Jadeja does that with his eyes closed, that's all he ever does, and he was the best bowler on show.