A mid-innings collapse sent Australia crashing to an opening defeat to India in the day-night tri-series cricket match at Gwalior.

Chasing India's 5-283, Australia was cruising at 0-132 before a disastrous collapse of 4-9 over five overs sent the world champions to a humbling 37-run defeat.

Australia finished on 9-246 from its 50 overs.

The bowlers were also battered, as India's Sachin Tendulkar (100) and VVS Laxman (102) hit centuries to give Australia's new-look attack a torrid initiation to the subcontinent.

While that was not so surprising, India's target was always within reach of the Australian batting line-up and as Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden rattled off a 132-run stand, victory looked inevitable.

But Gilchrist played across the line to Zaheer Khan and was bowled for 83 and a parade of poor dismissals followed.

Captain Ricky Ponting (two) scooped an innocuous Anil Kumble delivery straight back to him and two overs later Hayden (47) was deceived in flight and stumped by Parthiv Patel.

Michael Bevan and Damien Martyn restored things after the collapse, but they too played down the wrong lines and were bowled by part-timer Virender Sehwag as the fireworks left over from the Diwali festival started being let off.

It was a fine comeback from India after Gilchrist and Hayden raced past 50 in the seventh over.

But Gilchrist's dismissal brought a massive roar from a crowd loving every minute of Gwalior's first international in four years and India's bowlers gave the host nation revenge of sorts from the World Cup final.

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