Shubman Gill smashed a career-best 128 and Virat Kohli regained his form to fuel India's robust reply
Australia bowled out South Africa for a below-par 212 despite David Miller's defiant 101 but the chase was not as straightforward as Pat Cummins and his team would have liked.
After the bowlers restricted Australia, a patient knock from KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja saw India clinch a five-wicket win over the visitors.
The home team bowlers did not put a foot wrong but the pitch "surprisingly" dried up quite quickly at the Optus stadium on the second day, eventually helping the Indian batters, reckons Australia head coach Andrew McDonald.
The three-time champions Australia scored a 142 for five batting first on a slow pitch and then routed the West Indies in front of their home crowd for just 71 off 17.3 overs.
'Hopefully the weather holds off, and then tomorrow it's just about coming in, having a crack, and see where we get to.'
India would be pressing for a decisive first-innings lead in the contest when play resumes on Friday.
IMAGES from the ICC Champions Trophy Group B match between Afghanistan and England at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Wednesday.
Images from Day 1 of the third Test played between India and Australia at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Wednesday
When you are defending to save a game, a loose delivery comes along and you suddenly opt to play an attacking shot, you are unlikely to hit as well as if you were playing your naturally aggressive game all along. First Pant, then Jaiswal, found that out the costly way, observes Prem Panicker.
Dasun Shanaka led from the front with a scintillating half-century as Sri Lanka edged World champions Australia by four wickets in the third and final Twenty20 International to avoid a series whitewash, in Pallekele, on Saturday.
'When Nathan Lyon was bowling I saw two or three balls without any drift. So, I thought of taking on Lyon so that we get some quick runs.'
At this point it is still anyone's game, with a draw also an option, says Prem Panicker in his analysis of Day 4.
Sri Lanka were dismissed for their lowest test total of 42 after South Africa's Marco Jansen produced bowling heroics to help the hosts take a firm grip on the first Test.
Chasing a challenging 150-run target, Mandhana smashed 52 off 49 balls and shared 57 runs with Jemimah Rodrigues (23 off 26) for the second wicket to set the platform before India lost four wickets in the span of 10 runs and succumbed easily.
'When we go to Australia, they play India only at five Test centres. They don't play us in Canberra. They don't play us at any of the other venues where they won't be very familiar with the conditions. So do England'
Images from the Women's T20 World Cup Final between Australia and South Africa played in Cape Town on Sunday
Steve Smith made 105, his 12th ODI century, to help Australia overcome a sluggish start
Steve Smith ended his century drought and Marnus Labuschagne struck his first Test hundred abroad to steer Australia to 298/5 on day one of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Friday.
The former South African quick explained the pre-set plan against Head, though it eventually fell flat on its back.
Only once in the history of Test cricket has a team bounced back to win after being bowled out for less than 50.
Imam-ul-Haq hit a memorable first Test century on Friday and led Pakistan to a commanding 245-1 in its first home Test against Aus in 24 years
The Indians lost their last seven wickets for the addition of just 70 runs on the final day of the contest.
For India's current head coach, the Test series defeat against New Zealand at home, a first in 12 years and after 18 victories on the trot, would be a bitter pill to swallow.
Karunaratne fell for 86 in the final session but Mendis was batting on 84 at stumps
Bangladesh scored their second straight Twenty20 victory over Australia, beating the tourists by five wickets in the second match of the series in Dhaka on Wednesday.
Images from Day 1 of the second Test between India and Australia, at the Arun Jaitley stadium, in Delhi, on Friday.
With this, Surya is now just behind Virat Kohli, who leads the pack with six awards.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the WTC Final played between Australia and India at The Oval in London on Thursday.
Babar smashed an unbeaten 105 and opener Imam-ul-Haq made 89 not out
Runaway Rohit roars back into form ahead of semis
Big-hitting Tim David is a "versatile and flexible" player. His presence only adds to the options Australia possess going into the T20 World cup, feels skipper Aaron Finch.
Australian cricket legend Ian Healy is shocked by the team management's decision to include two off-spinners -- Nathan Lyon and young Todd Murphy -- who have almost similar action.
Australia made heavy weather of a modest chase before beating Sri Lanka by three wickets in the second Twenty20 International on Wednesday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
After R Ashwin led India's fightback with a six-wicket haul, India skipper Rohit Sharma at Shubman Gill took India to 36/0 at the end of Day 2 in Ahmedabad.
Skipper Aaron Finch scored a timely half-century as Australia concluded their tour of Pakistan with a three-wicket win in a one-off Twenty20 international in Lahore on Tuesday.
Images from the second ODI between India and Australia in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
Australia's injury woes deepened on Wednesday when a hamstring problem forced all rounder Mitchell Marsh from the pitch for treatment.
In eight matches this tournament, Rohit ended with 257 runs at an average of 36.71, with a strike rate of 156.70.
Usman Khawaja hit an unbeaten century to give Australia the upper hand on Day 1 of the fourth and final Test against India in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
