SKIPPER Mahendra Dhoni struck a magnificent 124 as India beat Australia by 99 runs in Nagpur to square the seven-match one-day series at 1-1.

Dhoni’s knock came from just 107 balls and propelled the hosts to 354-7, their highest score against Australia.

Gautam Gambhir (76) and Suresh Raina (62) also made hay after India were put in first by the world champions.

In reply, Mike Hussey made 53, but Australia lost wickets at regular intervals and were dismissed for 255.

“It’s a special century because it has come after such a long time,” said Dhoni, whose last ODI hundred came against Hong Kong last June.

“When you bat at number five or six you usually get a 60 or an 80, but you can also get out playing big shots.

“Today, I had ample time to build my innings and I just exploited a good batting surface.

“I don’t think it is the best innings I’ve ever played, but this performance is a good feeling.”

Australia captain Ricky Ponting said he had thought dew would be a factor when he won the toss and opted to field.

“It was always going to be a hard run-chase,” Ponting said. “The wicket was very good and to be honest I thought at the toss it would slide a bit later on.

“But the dew which we expected didn’t come in tonight. But full credit to India, they outplayed us in every aspect of the game.

“We’ve been beaten easily tonight, but it’s still 1-1 and we start from scratch. We go on to Delhi and hopefully we can perform better there.

“Every aspect of our game has to get better and I’m sure we can do that.”

Dhoni, whose fifth one-day century included nine fours and three sixes, put on 119 with Gambhir in a dazzling fourth-wicket stand.

Dhoni and Raina then put on 136 from 93 balls for the fifth wicket as Australia, without injured paceman Brett Lee and all-rounder James Hopes, were plundered for 108 runs in the final 10 overs.

Dhoni reached his hundred by smashing Shane Watson for a straight six, and celebrated the landmark with another towering six off the next ball.

The aggressive Indian captain was one of three batsmen to be dismissed in the 50th over, with Mitchell Johnson finishing with figures of 3-75.

Left-arm fast bowler Johnson had claimed the wicket of Virender Sehwag in the 11th over, caught at mid-off attempting a big hit.

Sehwag smashed 40 off 31 balls to give India the momentum after veteran batsman Sachin Tendulkar was removed by Peter Siddle in the fourth over.

Praveen Kumar bowled a fine opening spell for India, removing opener Tim Paine and Ponting, before left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja ripped through the Australia middle order.

He removed Hussey, Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh, and despite some spirited hitting from the Australia tail-end, the tourists were dismissed with nine balls remaining. (BBC Sport)

INDIA innings
V. Sehwag c Hilfenhaus b Johnson 40
S. Tendulkar c White b Siddle 4
G. Gambhir run-out (Hauritz) 76
Yuvraj Singh c & b Hilfenhaus 23
MS Dhoni c Paine b Johnson 124
SK Raina c Paine b Johnson 62
Harbhajan Singh not out 1
P Kumar run-out 1
Extras: (b-1, lb-6, w-14, nb-2) 23
Total: (7 wickets; 50 overs; 223 mins) 354
Fall of wicketsL1-21, 2-67 , 3-97, 4-216, 5-352, 6-353 , 7-354).
Bowling: Hilfenhaus 10-0-83-1 (nb-1, w-4), Siddle 10-055-1 (w-3) Johnson 10-0-75-3 (nb-1, w-5), Voges 5-0-33-0 (w-1), Watson 5-0-47-0.

AUSTRALIA innings (target: 355 runs from 50 overs)
SR Watson c Tendulkar b Sharma 19
TD Paine† b Kumar 8
RT Ponting* lbw b Kumar 12
CL White c Raina b Harbhajan Singh 23
MEK Hussey b Jadeja 53
AC Voges b Jadeja 36
SE Marsh Stp. Dhoni b Jadeja 21
MG Johnson b Nehra 21
NM Hauritz not out 30
PM Siddle c Dhoni b Sharma 3
BW Hilfenhaus Run-out 16
Extras:: (lb-5, w-8) 13
Total: (all out; 48.3 overs) 255 (5.25 runs per over)
Fall of wickets:1-20 2-41 , 3-45 , 4-93 , 5-140 , 6-180, 7-194 , 8-223, 9-230..
Bowling: Kumar 8-1-37-2 (w-1), Nehra 7-0-40-1 (w-2), Sharma 8-034-2 (w-1), Harbhajan Singh 10-0-62-1 (w-4), Yuvraj Singh 8-0-39-0, Jadeja 6.3-0-35-3, Raina 1-0-3-0.