India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni top scored with 87 as England were set a target of 301 for victory in Hyderabad today.
The hosts were desperate for victory in the first one-day international after being whitewashed in both the Test and limited-overs series in England this summer.
But they got off to a slow start, reaching their first 100 off 25 overs before turning on the power to finish on 300 for seven.
The total gave Alastair Cook's men, without a limited-overs series win in India since 1984-85, plenty to do under the lights at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium.
Dhoni blasted his unbeaten knock from only 70 deliveries and was ably assisted by Suresh Raina, who made 61 from 55 balls before skying a catch to Jonny Bairstow off the bowling of Steven Finn.
That was the Middlesex paceman's only victim as he, Jade Dernbach, Graeme Swann and Samit Patel took only one wicket apiece with the other three wickets via runouts.
Coach Andy Flower will have been disappointed with an attack that conceded 18 wides.
Meanwhile, Sky was unable to provide live television coverage at the start of play due to a row over "licence issues". Commentary was provided by David Lloyd and Nick Knight accompanied by on-screen graphics before live pictures began after 15 minutes.
The blackout was caused by a breakdown in negotiations between rights-holding production company Nimbus and the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Indian government.
