Manish Pandey scored his maiden one-day international century to lead India to a consolation victory over Australia in the final match of the series at the SCG.
Set an imposing 331 to win after David Warner and Mitchell Marsh both scored hundreds for Australia, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan laid a solid platform for India with a 123-run opening stand.
Pandey carried on the good work and received solid support from Mahendra Singh Dhoni before scoring the winning runs with six wickets and two balls to spare.
India, facing a series whitewash after going 4-0 down at Canberra, enjoyed early success after winning the toss and putting Australia in but Warner and Marsh put on 118 to rescue the hosts from 117 for four.
After Warner was dismissed by Ishant Sharma for 122, Marsh joined forces with Matthew Wade to take the score past 300 before bringing up his first ODI ton with three balls of the innings remaining.
Australia’s 330 for seven looked well within reach after Dhawan and Sharma got India off to a flying start but two quick wickets left the tourists wobbling.
Sharma, who fell just one run short of his hundred, and Pandey stabilised the innings with a 97-run partnership, although it took some late hitting to get India over the line.
The visitors needed 13 from the final over, which became six from five deliveries after Dhoni thumped Marsh down the ground for a maximum.
The captain departed next ball but Pandey got the job done as India became the first team to successfully chase 300-plus against Australia in their own backyard.
Australia later revealed coach Darren Lehmann had been hospitalised with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and would hand over to Michael Di Venuto for the Twenty20 international series.
Cricket Australia’s chief medical officer Doctor John Orchard said: “Darren is stable but he has been advised not to fly in the short term and will therefore require a lay-off before he can return to coaching.”
Source: ECB