Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rohit Sharma celebrate India’s victory in Melbourne on Sunday. (AP)

Melbourne: India relied on an outstanding display by their pacemen to script a hard-fought five-wicket win over Australia in a low-scoring tri-series one-dayer here on Sunday.

The lanky Ishant Sharma (4/38) produced a devastating spell of seam bowling and was well supported by fellow seamers Sreesanth (3/31) and Irfan Pathan (2/26) to bundle out the hosts for 159 in 43.1 overs.

The Indians then overcame some anxious moments before overhauling the target with 25 balls to spare to record their first win in the tri-series after their first two games were abandoned due to rain.

The last time India had beaten Australia at the MCG was on January 31, 1986 during the Benson & Hedges World Series.

Sachin Tendulkar (44), Rohit Sharma (39 not out), Gautam Gambhir (20) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (17 not out) chipped in on a difficult track at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

A wide from part-timer Andrew Symonds brought the winning moment for India who recorded their first ODI win at the MCG after a gap of 22 years.

The victory boosted India to the top of the table with eight points from three matches while the Australians were just a point behind from three games. Sri Lanka were in the third spot with two points from two matches.

The Indians will now travel to Canberra to play their next match against Sri Lanka at the Manuka Oval on Tuesday.

India suffered the usual mid-innings stutter when three wickets went for 13 runs before Dhoni combined with Rohit for the sixth wicket to add the final 58 runs.

Gambhir, Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh (3) were out in quick succession as Australia suddenly sensed a chance.

India’s case may have been in jeopardy if Tendulkar had been ruled out caught behind off Stuart Clark in the 11th over with the score at 52 for one.

The master batsman, then on 24, dashed down the track to Clark and had clearly edged behind the stumps but umpire Rudi Koertzen did not see it that way, much to the disappointment of Ricky Ponting’s men.

It kind of evened out the luck for the visitors as Virender Sehwag had earlier been ruled out leg-before to Nathan Bracken — a doubtful decision. Pathan, promoted to No.3, departed in a similar fashion but not before he had seen off the new ball.