Australia beat India by three wickets with the final delivery in a low-scoring first Twenty20 international.
Virat Kohli's tourists are the second ranked ODI side in the world and will be looking to get into their groove in the three 50-over and three Twenty20 matches that precede the four-match Test series around the new year.
Kohli conceded that the tournament will see a run-fest but pressure of playing in a World Cup will make even 260-270 hard to chase.
A 3-0 lead in the five-match series will be a perfect parting gift for Ranchi's favourite son, who, in all likelihood, will be seen wearing the India Blues for the last time at his home ground.
England's rampant one-day side powered to a fourth straight win over Australia, following up their world record rampage at Trent Bridge with a commanding six-wicket victory at Chester-le-Street on Thursday led by centurion Jason Roy.
Bangladesh thrashed Australia by 60 runs in Dhaka on Monday to secure a comprehensive 4-1 series win, with the tourists' batsmen managing just 62 in 13.4 overs, their worst ever total in the format.
Images from the fourth One-Day International between Australia and India in Canberra, on Wednesday.
Images from the 5th ODI between India and Australia, played in Nagpur on Sunday
India captain Virat Kohli said his team will look to address its recent batting collapse and come back stronger in the last two games of the five-match ODI series.
Hazlewood also said that Cheteshwar Pujara is the one player who wears down the bowlers with his workman-like approach.
India showed commendable character in Rajkot to level the series, proving that the panic buttons were pressed prematurely following the 10-wicket loss in Mumbai.
Australia made a stuttering start to coach Justin Langer's tenure as they lost by three wickets to England in the opening match of the one-day series at The Oval.
David Warner's career-best 178 and Glenn Maxwell's 88-run blitz powered Australia to a record World Cup total of 417 for six wickets and 275 runs victory over lowly Afghanistan in a Pool A match at the Gabba, in Perth, on Wednesday.
Kane Richardson gets nod ahead of Josh Hazlewood as replacement
With 762 points, Kohli is behind England's David Malan
Australia's top order batsman, who had averaged 49.31 in 2019, has not been included in the national side for over a year.
Australian pacer Kane Richardson, who grabbed a five-for felt that the dismissal of Mahendra Singh Dhoni proved to be a turning point as the home team recorded a 25-run win against India.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and local authorities have agreed to an urgent inquiry to determine why the second one-day international between the hosts and Australia was abandoned on Thursday without a ball being bowled.
India's quest to find the right combination for the upcoming World Cup ended with a 35-run defeat in the decisive fifth ODI against Australia as they lost the series 2-3.
Australian wicket-keeper-batsman Matthew Wade has been ruled of the ongoing Chappell-Hadlee series against New Zealand.
Ahead of the high-octane clash, here are some key players to look out for:
'The last few days we've really been able to galvanise around him, to have some really robust discussions on where we want to take this cricket team, what we expect of him and what he expects of us.'
All set to defend their cricket World Cup crown in less than a month, India will get their preparations underway with the aim of finding the right combination for the marquee event.
Images from the ICC World Cup match between Australia and South Africa at Old Trafford on Saturday
Besides preparing for the 16-team World Twenty20 2016, India and South Africa will also aim to improve their positions on the ICC T20I Team Rankings.
Paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile took four wickets to fire Australia to a 32-run victory over South Africa in the first one-day international in Perth on Friday.
Rohit Sharma's sizzling century went in vain as Australia survived a few anxious moments before pulling off a tense four-wicket win over India in a cricket tri-series ODI match in Melbourne.
Glenn Maxwell blasted a splendid 83-ball 96 to lift Australia to a three-wicket victory against India that also helped the hosts seal the five-match ODI series 3-0, in Melbourne, on Sunday.
The West Indies used plenty of short-pitched deliveries to dismantle Pakistan in their Cricket World Cup opener, but the Caribbean batsmen will get a taste of their own medicine when they face champions Australia, fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile has said.
India's leading off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin can use the IPL as a platform to revive his dwindling career in limited overs cricket, feels veteran batsman Subramaniam Badrinath.
Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has said hosts India will be the toughest team to beat in next month's World Twenty20 Championship due to their familiarity with the conditions.
Former Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin feels trusting one's technique will be the key for wicketkeepers when they are put under pressure during the four-Test series beginning later this month.
Smith's (28) ODI haul of 568 runs at 63.11 from 10 innings were enough to pip Finch (23) who scored 673 runs at 56.08 from 13 innings.
'We got off to a good start and kept (going) on with that adrenaline''
Virat Kohli stepped down as India's 20-overs skipper and lost ODI captaincy too with Rohit Sharma taking over as their sole white-ball leader.
AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis struck sublime centuries as South Africa chased down a massive score to beat Australia by seven wickets in the second One-Day International of the triangular series on Wednesday.
"All the players have played there before (and) played IPL (Indian Premier League) there. Whatever team is selected, that will be the right team for those conditions and I really do think this could be one of our best chances to win the Twenty20 World Cup.
Hard-hitting left-hander Chris Gayle will return to the West Indies squad for their tour of South Africa after recovering from a back injury.
Australia rode on a dominating all-round display to thrash a lacklustre India by 72 runs in the first cricket One-dayer in Pune.
Pakistan-born Fawad Ahmed is likely to make his full Australia debut over the next month after being named as the specialist spinner in the squad for six one-day and two Twenty20 internationals against England on Thursday.
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