Bumrah found slow pitch difficult

Australia allrounder Glenn Maxwell has backed the unusual tactic to turn down singles by veteran MS Dhoni in the closing stages of India's innings in the first T20I in Vizag.

Having watched on as his team lost 5-29 to be 7-109 with 19 balls remaining batting first, Dhoni took it upon himself to resurrect India's innings by facing as many deliveries as possible.

QUICK SINGLE Australia hold nerve to claim T20 thriller

That meant farming the strike and shielding No.8 Yuzvendra Chahal from the bowling to the point where Dhoni knocked back eight singles in the final three overs which yielded 17 runs and just one boundary – a six off the 37-year-old's bat from paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile.

While the strategy left many scratching their heads, Maxwell said it was "fair enough" for Dhoni to refuse to run at the end of the innings on a slow, low pitch.

"MS is obviously a world-class finisher and even he was finding it hard to hit the middle of the bat," Maxwell said after Australia pulled off a thrilling final-ball win.

"I think it was right of him to try and farm the strike and he hit a six in the last over.

"He only hit one six and I think they only got seven runs off the over which shows how difficult it is.

"If you're holding MS to one boundary in the last few overs it's a pretty good effort and also a sign of the conditions as well."

Aussies triumph over India in thriller

India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who expertly used the conditions to capture 3-16 from four overs, said after play Dhoni's plan was to ensure the hosts batted out their 20 overs and put a competitive score on the board.

"He was just trying to take the game deep and trying to get us to a safe total," Bumrah said.

"We were short by 15-20 runs but he still gave us a fighting total.

"We had something we could fight on so I think that was the plan he was trying to execute."

Qantas tour of India

First T20: Australia won by three wickets

Second T20: February 27, Bengaluru

First ODI: March 2, Hyderabad

Second ODI: March 5, Nagpur

Third ODI: March 8, Ranchi

Fourth ODI: March 10, Mohali

Fifth ODI: March 13, Delhi