IND vs AUS, 3rd ODI: Australia Avoid Whitewash With 66-Run Win After Marsh & Maxwell Heroics, India Clinch Series 2-1

Australia finally ended their 5-match losing streak to beat India by 66 runs in the third and final one-day international in Rajkot on Wednesday but the hosts clinched the series 2-1 and will head into the ICC World Cup as the No.1 ranked team.

The visitors were clinical with the bat, ball and their ground fielding as they bowled out India for 286 in 49.4 overs after posting a mammoth 352 for 7 on the board at the Saurashtra Cricket Association stadium in the city.

The Aussies rode on four half-centuries from Mitchell Marsh (96), Steven Smith (74), Marnus Labuschagne (72) and David Warner (56) to take the game away from India in the first half.

Jasprit Bumrah (3 for 81) was the pick of the Indian bowlers but even then he registered his joint-most expensive figures in ODI cricket. Kuldeep Yadav bagged a couple of scalps while Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna took a wicket each.

India in reply, got off to a good start thanks to captain Rohit Sharma's swashbuckling half-century which was followed by a 66th ODI fifty from Virat Kohli.

But the Men in Blue lost their direction and their chase was derailed after both stalwarts departed in quick succession of each other.

Rohit ended up top-scoring with 81 runs while Kohli made 56 and Shreyas Iyer contributed with 48 runs but the lack of partnerships hurt the hosts and eventually led to their defeat.

Glenn Maxwell was the star of the show with the ball as he bagged a four-wicket haul while Josh Hazlewood picked a couple of scalps.

Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green and Tanveer Sangha were all among the wickets with one each to their name.

This series was a dress rehearsal for both teams ahead of the ODI World Cup which starts from October 5. India and Australia will meet again on October 8 in Chennai to start their campaigns in the showpiece event.