Paceman Ishant Sharma produced a superb bowling effort for India

Pace bowlers Ishant Sharma and Sree Santh proved too much for Australia as India won a low-scoring tri-series game in Melbourne by five wickets.

The home side lost Adam Gilchrist for a duck to the third ball of the game and were bowled out for just 159.

It could have been even worse but for Mike Hussey's unbeaten 65 as Sharma took 4-38 and Santh 3-31.

India slumped to 102-5 in reply but Rohit Sharma and Mahendra Dhoni held their nerve to see them home on 160-5.

They reached their target with 4.1 overs to spare to register their first win in the series, also involving Sri Lanka, after two no-results caused by rain.

The hosts were soon in trouble after Gilchrist was controversially adjudged lbw off the bowling of Santh in the first over.

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Matthew Hayden (25) became Ishant's first victim soon after when he was caught behind by Dhoni.

Captain Ricky Ponting was caught at first slip by Sachin Tendulkar for nine, again off Ishant.

And Australia were 64-4 when Irfan Pathan removed Michael Clarke before Ishant dismissed Andrew Symonds caught behind for 14.

Dhoni claimed his third victim of the innings when he stumped Brad Haddin as the batsman came down the pitch to Harbhajan Singh.

That left the hosts in real trouble on 92-6 and, though Brett Lee and Mike Hussey put on 53 for the seventh wicket, there was little resistance after the former was caught by Dhoni off Pathan.

Gilchrist lasted only three balls before being trapped by Santh

From then on, the wickets quickly tumbled as Santh removed Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Bracken while Ishant claimed his fourth wicket as Clark edged his first delivery to Dhoni to wrap up the innings.

In reply, India lost Virender Sehwag cheaply but Sachin Tendulkar was soon into his stride and cracked three exquisite boundaries off one Lee over.

Pathan and Gautam Gambhir were unable to get going but India looked in control with Tendulkar at the crease.

However, Tendulkar was dismissed by a superb catch by Lee off Johnson and Australia scented a chance to get back into the match.

Yuvraj Singh was quickly out but Rohit and Dhoni dug in to see India home.

"We played a few loose shots at the top of the order.

"When you have a low total to defend you have to find a way of getting wickets. We tried lots of different things but we were not good enough.

"There is a good series shaping up here and the next few games are going to be very important."

"I don't think about the batsman's strengths, just mine. I stick to my strengths and I have got the results.

"Today I bowled a bit quicker and the wicket also helped."