India vs Australia: Hardik Pandya completes 1,000 ODI runs, joins Shahid Afridi, Andre Russell in special club

Hardik Pandya joined the likes of Andre Russell and Shahid Afridi in a special One-Day International (ODI) club after he completed 1,000 ODI runs on Friday.

Hardik, who was 43 runs away from 1,000 ODI runs ahead of the first game between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), went on to score his fifth ODI half-century. He took only 857 balls to reach the 1,000-run mark – the fewest deliveries taken among Indian batsmen to the landmark.

Overall in the list of fewest balls to 1,000 runs in the ODIs, Hardik is placed fifth. West Indian explosive hitter Russell has taken the fewest balls to 1,000 runs – 767 balls ahead of New Zealand's Luke Ronchi (807 balls), former Pakistan batsman Afridi (834 balls), and BlackCaps' Corey Anderson (854 balls).

On Friday, Australia won the toss and opted to bat in the first ODI at the SCG. Aaron Finch and David Warner gave the hosts a flying start as they put up 156 runs for the first wicket. Finch and Warner now have shared a stand of 150 or more runs more than any other pair for Australia in ODIs. The next best on the list is the duo of Steve Waugh and Adam Gilchrist, who did that four times ahead of Ponting-Shane Watson (3 times), Ponting-Matthew Hayden (3 times), and Finch-Smith (3 times).

While Warner scored 69 from 76 balls, the duo of Finch and Steven Smith scored a century each to help Australia post 374 for 6 in 50 overs. It was Finch's 17th century and sixth ton as Australia's ODI captain. Finch, who scored 114 runs from 124 deliveries, surpassed former Australian skipper Michael Clarke in the record of most centuries for Australia as a captain. Finch is second in the list behind leader Ricky Ponting, who had hit 21 centuries during his tenure as the national captain in the 50-over format.

In reply to Australia's big first innings, Virat Kohli's men were off to a brilliant start. Mayank Agarwal and Shikhar Dhawan put up 53 runs on the board inside five overs before the former became Aussie pacer Josh Hazlewood's first victim of the day. Hazlewood bagged the big fish in the 10th over when he removed Kohli, who only managed run-a-ball 21. Two deliveries later, Hazlewood had his third breakthrough of the day when he dismissed Shreyas Iyer for a two-ball two. Australia's spinner Adam Zampa, meanwhile, removed KL Rahul in the 14th over for 15-ball 12.

Dhawan and Hardik both have scored a fifty each and are still at the crease.