Ishant stuns Australia as India claim five-wicket win

Ishant was in destructive form, claiming four wickets as the hosts were dismissed for just 159 inside 44 overs.

India stuttered in reply, but 44 from Sachin Tendulkar and an unbeaten 39 from Rohit Sharma were enough to see them home.

Australia got off to a disappointing start when Adam Gilchrist was controversially adjudged lbw off the bowling of Sreesanth without scoring despite the ball clearly hitting his bat first.

And Matthew Hayden (25) became Ishant's first victim soon after when he was caught behind by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

The hosts looked in danger of an embarrassing collapse when Ponting was caught at first slip by Tendulkar for nine, again of the bowling of Ishant.

And Australia were reduced to 64 for four when Irfan Pathan removed Michael Clarke (11) and Andrew Symonds (14) gave Ishant his third wicket when he was caught behind by Dhoni after edging a delivery which straightened.

Dhoni claimed his third victim of the innings when he stumped Brad Haddin (five) as the batsman came down the pitch to Harbhajan Singh.

That left the hosts in real trouble on 92 for six and, though Brett Lee (10) and Mike Hussey rebuilt well, putting on 53 for the seventh wicket, there was little resistance after the former was caught by Dhoni off Pathan.

From then on, the wickets quickly tumbled as Sreesanth removed Mitchell Johnson (three) and Nathan Bracken (one).

And Ishant claimed his fourth wicket as Clark edged his first delivery to Dhoni to wrap up the innings.

Ishant was the star with the ball for India, claiming four for 38, while Sreesanth (three for 31) offered good support.

The writing was on the wall early on for Australia as the second ball of India's reply went for four off the edge of Virender Sehwag's bat.

The opener could manage just seven more runs before being given out lbw to a Bracken delivery which was probably going over the top.

But that seemed to spur Tendulkar into life and he cracked three boundaries off the next Lee over, with a trio of exquisite drives.

Johnson claimed a wicket in his first over, trapping Pathan in front for 18. Gautam Gambhir joined Tendulkar at the crease and struggled to find runs, before a Lee delivery caught the shoulder of his bat and looped up to Clarke at backward point to leave the Indians on 89 for three.

With Tendulkar secure at the other end, India always looked in control, but a fine catch from Lee accounted for the 'Little Master'.

He leapt high to his left at mid-off to grab a difficult chance off the bowling of Johnson and send Tendulkar packing for 44.

Yuvraj Singh (three) followed to another good catch, from Hussey this time, as Clark claimed his first wicket to leave India teetering on 102 for five. But Rohit and captain Dhoni dug in to rebuild.

It was far from pretty as they dealt mainly in ones and twos, but it proved effective as they compiled an unbeaten partnership of 58 to guide India home.