Wade stakes his claim

Matthew Wade built on the fine impression he created during the Test series, knocking around India's bowlers in the first one-dayer of the Commonwealth Bank Series to help set up an Australia win in a rain-hit match. India kept things tight to begin with, but following a prolonged rain break that reduced the match to 32-overs-a-side, it was all Australia.

The hosts had trudged off in the rain at 2 for 35 after 11 overs, having been sent in by Dhoni. Despite a few false starts from the groundstaff trying to remove the covers it turned into a long delay as the showers kept returning. And the rain came at the wrong time for Australia, after Wade had just launched Praveen over long-on for six and then cut him for four more.

Although it took Wade a little while to get set again after the resumption, he soon found his touch and showed he is comfortable at this level. Brad Haddin has been rested for the first three games but it would take a brave selection panel to dump Wade later in the series. He brought up his half-century with a short single dropped into the leg side off his 55th delivery and eventually played on when he tried to pull Rahul's quicker legspinner.

His 67 left him sixth on the list of highest scores by an Australian ODI debutant, behind Phil Jaques, Shaun Marsh, Kepler Wessels, Mark Cosgrove and Michael Slater.