Dynamic Indian allrounder Hardik Pandya zeroed in on Australian legspinner Adam Zampa to devastating effect in a match-turning over of the series-opening one-day international.
Australia were in command at 5-87 until MS Dhoni and Pandya combined for a match-winning stand of 118.
India's steady recovery exploded in the 37th over of Sunday's match in Chennai where Australia fell short chasing a revised target of 164 off 21 overs.
Pandya slapped a full toss for four before bludgeoning a trifecta of sixes, the second of which took him past 50.
"Obviously at 5-87 it was 70 per cent on Australia's side and a wicket more would have brought it on to the lower-order," Indian spinner Yuzvendra Chahal said.
"But the way they batted and the momentum that we got from the Zampa over and it carried on. And this wicket 270-80 is a winning total."
The 24-run over swung the innings as Pandya pounced on anything full on his way to 83 off 66 balls.
But it was Zampa who ended Pandya's rampage with a quicker delivery which found the top edge and popped up to third man.
"I guess the message to Zampa as well was to try and bring his length back a little bit," Australia skipper Steve Smith said.
"He was bowling very full and Hardik looked like hitting every one of those for six.
"A soon as he got his length back a little bit and made him go across the ball he got him out."
Zampa is Australia's first-choice spin option on the tour ahead of bowling allrounder Ashton Agar.
Agar was 12th man in Chennai after taking 4-44 with his left-arm orthodox in the only warm-up match of the tour.
Australia favoured seam in the first match, but it's unclear if they'll change tack for Thursday's match in Kolkata.
Part-time tweakers Glenn Maxwell and Travis Head weren't used while seamers Marcus Stoinis and James Faulkner bowled their full 10 overs.
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