Australia came prepared for Dhoni and Kohli, Pandya came out of syllabus: Twitter goes mental after Hardik's heroics

Team India, riding high after the 5-0 clean-sweep in Sri Lanka, were put in a serious spot of bother in the first ODI against Australia on Sunday.

Skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and, looking at the wicket which promised to get slower as the match progressed, opted to bat first.

However, his decision seemed to have backfired as fast-bowler Nathan Coulter bowled a lethal opening spell to destroy the hosts' top-order.

Follow live updates of the first ODI between India and Australia HERE.

Fans who had braved the Chennai heat and flocked to the MA Chidambaram​ Stadium, though, were in a for a special knock. With India reeling at 87 for 5, swashbuckling all-rounder Hardik Pandya walked out to the crease to join Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

And from there on, it was a Pandya show all the way. The 23-year-old got together with the former India captain to drag India from a position of worry to a position of great strength. His knock of 83 came of 66 balls and included 5 humongous sixes. In one Adam Zampa over, the right-hander smashed 24 runs, including a hat-trick of sixes. India eventually finished at 281/7, thanks to a vintage MSD finish.

Twitter couldn't get enough of Pandya's blitz, hailing the rare talent as a 'perfect all-rounder'.

Here are some of the tweets:

Pujara in tests. Pandya in ODI. Australia come prepared for Delhi and get blindsighted by Gujarat. #INDvAUS

— cricBC (@cricBC) September 17, 2017

Wonderful to see the growth in Hardik Pandya. That was serious hitting

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 17, 2017

Hardik Pandya has made it a habit of playing the big impact innings. Seeing one currently. Amazing stuff! #INDvAUS

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) September 17, 2017

Once Again Hardik Pandya Proved He is a Perfect All-rounder which india is searching from many years.#INDvAUS

— Shubham Patidar (@_ShubhamPatidar) September 17, 2017

Most hat-tricks of sixes in ODIs since 2000

4 AB de Villiers
3 Chris Gayle
3 Sanath Jayasuriya
3 Hardik Pandya (in space of just 4 months)

— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) September 17, 2017

Gentle Reminder: Hardik Pandya Can Get OUT Even When I'm Not On The Opposite Side. Now Pls Stop Blaming Me For #CT17 Loss#INDvAUS #INDvsAUS

— Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) September 17, 2017

Hardik Pandya:

Came on 72/6 and Smashed 76 runs vs Pakistan!

Came on 87/5 and smashed 83 runs vs Australia!

Both time deserved century!

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) September 17, 2017

Australia prepared for Virat Rohit Dhoni & Hardik Pandya came out of syllabus #INDvAUS

— ßєคɾɖ ßɷყ  (@BeingFlicked) September 17, 2017

 What long boundaries? - Hardik Pandya! #IndVAus

— cricBC (@cricBC) September 17, 2017

Hardik Pandya Smashing Aussies Apart. Worst Thing For #Aussies, Sir Ravindra Jadeja Isn't On The Opposite Side.  #INDvAUS #INDvsAUS

— Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) September 17, 2017

MSD fans be like- Here are 7 ways how Dhoni inspired Hardik Pandya to play an explosive innings.

— AJ. (@DarrKeAage) September 17, 2017

Hardik Pandya making sure we don't get to make fun of his hair. #INDvAUS

— cricBC (@cricBC) September 17, 2017

Hardik Pandya has hit 19 sixes in ODIs. Nine of them have come off hat-tricks - three sixes in three balls to Imad, Shadab and now Zampa.

— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) September 17, 2017

Name: Hardik Pandya

Job: Hat trick Sixes

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) September 17, 2017

Thoughts - Pandya most exciting all-rounder after Stokes in world cricket? @StarSportsIndia #INDvAUS

— Isa Guha (@isaguha) September 17, 2017

Hardik Pandya is not the only player in the team from West India.

But he's the only West-Indian.#INDvAUS

— Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) September 17, 2017

Pandya : A Billion Dreams #INDvAUS

— Paresh Rawal Fan (@Babu_Bhaiyaa) September 17, 2017

All said and done, no cricketer has shown as much growth in recent times as Pandya. Proper knock this! #INDvAUS

— mystique (@flickerfonds) September 17, 2017