Aussies out to make history in Delhi

It's already been a record-breaking tour of India for Australia but Aaron Finch's side would like to create a couple more pieces of history before they leave the subcontinent.

No Australian team has ever come back from 0-2 down in a five-match ODI series and won.

And no ODI team has ever come back from 0-2 down to beat India in a five-match series.

The only other time an Australian team has come back from 0-2 to 2-2 to force a decider was 13 years ago in South Africa, where Ricky Ponting's side made 4-434 in the fifth and final match in Johannesburg only for the Proteas to reel in the record score with one ball and one wicket remaining.

Finch's team will get their chance to go one better than Ponting's outfit on Wednesday in Delhi and take in with them all the momentum from their historic win in Mohali.

On Sunday night, Australia chased down India's 9-358 to record their highest successful run chase ever in ODI cricket, claiming victory with a remarkable 13 balls to spare.

Rookie batsman Ashton Turner proved the difference with a bruising 84no from just 43 balls that sealed the improbable win and now the second-gamer can't wait for the series finale.

"It's all a whirlwind for me at the moment but as a cricket fan and a kid who has watched a lot of cricket growing up, I know how hard it's been historically for Australian teams to win series over here in India," Turner said on Monday.

"So to win this series, it'd be awesome in itself but also great preparation leading up to the UAE then beyond that to the World Cup."

It's been a decade since Australia won an ODI series in India, while the Aussies have lost their past seven ODI series, having last recorded victory against Pakistan in January 2017.

But the tourists started off their month-long adventure by sweeping the two-match T20 international series that preceded the 50-over games.

A last-ball T20I win in Vizag gave the Australians the belief they could win from anywhere and the momentum only grew stronger in the following match in Bengaluru where Glenn Maxwell hit an unbeaten century in a successful pursuit of 191 in another final-over finish.

While the tourists were brought back down to earth with losses in Hyderabad and Nagpur in the opening two matches of the ODI series, they had chances to take each game away from the Indians, particularly in game two, which they ultimately lost by just eight runs.

But a return to form from skipper Finch, a maiden ODI century to Usman Khawaja and resolute bowling saved the series with a 32-run win in Ranchi before Sunday's incredible run chase.

Now Australia have a third-straight must-win game on their hands and middle-order batsman Peter Handscomb, who scored his maiden 50-over for his country in Mohali, says the high-intensity, pressure-cooker matches during the series is ideal preparation heading into this winter's World Cup in the UK.

"The more pressure you can put yourself under going into a World Cup is great," Handscomb said. 

"We're starting to see that guys are learning, are more relaxed and understanding what they can do within their own game and then executing to their strengths with both bat and ball. It's exciting."

Win, lose or draw the whole tour has been another example of how Australia's one-day cricket is trending upwards after the 5-0 shellacking in England last June.

Under new full-time captain Finch and coach Justin Langer, who is still inside his first year at the helm, Australia were competitive against South Africa in a 2-1 series loss to start the summer then missed their chances to take out the home series against India, again suffering a 2-1 defeat.

But each series has seen a more balanced, cohesive side take the field which has significantly improved in all three disciplines, particularly batting.

Handscomb says Sunday's win gives the Australians "so much confidence" they can chase any total, which will be needed at the World Cup with monster scores expected on the smaller English grounds.

"If you look back on the second T20 as well where we chased down (190) at Bangalore, that was the start of a little bit of belief there, and to come out and do it again it shows it's not a fluke," Handscomb said after the remarkable win in Mohali.

"There's a bit of consistency starting to come into this team and batting plans and a lot of confidence we're going to execute those plans.

"Going forward this (win in Mohali) will be a big moment and hopefully we can continue to build on this feeling we've got at the moment."

Qantas Tour of India

First T20: Australia won by three wickets

Second T20: Australia won by seven wickets

First ODI: India won by six wickets

Second ODI: India won by eight runs

Third ODI: Australia won by 32 runs

Fourth ODI: Australia won by four wickets

Fifth ODI: March 13, Delhi