India vs Australia 2017: 1st T20I, 5 things we learnt from the match

Opting to bowl first, Virat Kohli expected his bowlers to step up and dismantle the Australian batting line-up in the first T20I at Ranchi on Saturday. His wish was granted as Australia succumbed to 118/8 before rain prevented them from grabbing a few lucky runs late in the innings.

With rain curtailing the game to six overs, Duckworth-Lewis method estimated that the Indians needed 48 for victory. Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli effortlessly guided the hosts to an easy victory, albeit in the final over of the game.

Earlier, it was Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav who once again tormented the Aussies with their wily leg-breaks and curtailed the flow of runs. Finch saved face with a valuable 42 but otherwise, the whole batting line-up crumbled.

Here are five takeaways from the match:

#5 The two wrist-spinner ploy is here to stay

Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal have established themselves in the playing XI

A common notion in cricket is never to play two wrist spinners. Although they are wicket-takers, wrist spinners tend to give away runs and this theory has prevented teams from fielding more than one in a playing XI. However, this modern Indian team have trashed that notion.

Combining Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, India have strangled oppositions with control and aggression. The young pair has been quite a revelation meaning Ashwin and Jadeja are far from the selectors' minds at the moment. In the first T20I at Ranchi, the duo was at it once again, picking up three wickets in between them to decimate the Aussies.

#4 At 38, Nehra picked but sidelined

Ashish Nehra was unfairly sidelined

Ashish Nehra played cricket while most of India's current team were still in school. Yet, he is still in and around the Indian T20I team for his ability to run in and swing the brand new ball. For the T20 series against Australia, Nehra made it to the squad and was expected to start given his experience.

However, India chose to stick with Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, while Nehra remained on the bench. Given that rotating the tired bowlers was a feasible option, Nehra's ouster is shocking. If the experienced seamer is part of the squad, it is only fair that he gets to play.

#3 Australia's batting woes continue

Aaron Finch waged a lone battle for Australia

Australia continued to have a wretched time with the bat in India as they collapsed to 118/8 in the first T20I at Ranchi. Muddled thinking with the batting order, some needless shuffling around and suicidal shots resulted in the quick loss of wickets and before you knew it, the Aussies were crumbling yet again.

Aaron Finch tried to resurrect the innings on his own with a 30 ball 42, but he found little support as seven batsmen made single-digit scores. Without Steven Smith, the Australian batting order lacks an anchor around whom their dynamic batsmen can bat. They need to regroup and quickly if they are to challenge this Indian outfit.

#2 Rain plays spoilsport

Heavy rains meant that the match was shortened to a meaningless six-over run-chase

Australia had succumbed to 118/8 when rain hit Ranchi hard. Play was stalled for nearly two hours as the players, fans and officials waited with bated breath for the weather to change. At one stage, it seemed like no match would be possible. Even as the rain subsided, the ground staff still needed to dry the outfield. However, they did a commendable job as play resumed with India needing 48 from six overs.

Duckworth-Lewis isn't the most loved system and a six-over, meaningless run-chase brings forward the question of why T20 games are allowed to continue for a minimum of five overs when it should really be at least 10. India nailed the chase in quick time but which team wouldn't with ten wickets and 48 to get in six overs.

#1 Bumrah raced past Nehra on India's T20I wickets chart

Bumrah is an indispensable part of India's limited-overs sides

Jasprit Bumrah has made rapid strides in India's limited-overs teams and is now virtually among the first names on the team sheet. On Saturday, he raced past Ashish Nehra to become the second highest wicket-taker for India in T20Is behind Ravichandran Ashwin.

With 36 wickets in 26 matches at an average of 17.83 and an economy of 6.69, there are few bowlers better than Bumrah in T20I cricket. He once again proved why he is one of the best death bowlers around. In the penultimate over, Bumrah conceded just two runs and picked up two wickets to seal Australia's fate.