Looking back at the last 5 home ODI series for India vs Australia

Less than two weeks before the much-awaited ICC World Cup 2023, Team India and Australia are set to clash for a three-match ODI series. The opening game is set to be played at the PCA IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Friday, September 22.

The upcoming series can serve as a great platform for the players to test their form and fitness. Resting a few first-choice players from the opening two ODIs, India will be looking to give some game time to their bench players ahead of the showpiece event.

As for Australia, they couldn't have asked for a better preparatory series just before the World Cup. The upcoming three games will give their roster much-needed time to acclimatize to the conditions and a chance to find their best XI amid their injury concerns.

Team India and Australia have played 11 one-day international series in India so far. It's interesting to know that the Men in Yellow lead the head-to-head battle currently, with six ODI series wins (in India) to their name as compared to India's five.

As the two teams gear up to collide once again for the first ODI in Mohali, we take a look back at the last five ODI series between India and Australia on Indian soil.

#5 India beat Australia 3-2 (7) in 2013

Rohit Sharma after his maiden ODI double century [Getty Images]

The seven-match ODI series between India and Australia in 2013 is still remembered as perhaps one of the most dramatic and entertaining ODI series of all time.

From George Bailey's enigmatic leadership to Rohit Sharma's historical double century to last-over thrillers, the series had it all and left the fans on tenterhooks. It was a high-scoring affair between the two teams as all five completed games in the series saw at least one team reach a 300+ score.

Australia began the series on a dominating note, winning the first ODI in Pune by 72 runs. However, the Indian team was quick to reply in the second ODI as they scripted their biggest ODI run-chase against Australia — by 360 runs with nine wickets and 39 balls to spare. Rohit Sharma (141*) and Virat Kohli (100*) scored centuries in the game.

Australia once again took the lead in the series by winning a nail-biting third ODI in Mohali before the next two ODIs were washed out due to rain. With two games to go, India was still 2-1 behind in the series.

The hosts needed to win both of their next two games in order to win the high-octane series. The Men in Blue completed the arduous task with aplomb as they beat Australia in the sixth ODI in Nagpur.

With the series at 2-2, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru hosted the final ODI, where Rohit Sharma sent the Australian team on a leather hunt. The Indian opener made history by smashing his maiden ODI double century, which led India to complete a remarkable comeback and win the series 3-2.

#4 India beat Australia 4-1 (5) in 2017

Virat Kohli celebrating with Hardik Pandya and Kedar Jhadav [Getty Images]

Australia faced a humbling 4-1 defeat against India when they toured for a five-match ODI series in 2017. The visitors lacked consistency throughout the series, as their batting unit let them down in most of the games.

A rain-hit game in Chennai saw India win the first ODI by 26 runs. The second game, played in Kolkata, had enough for the bowlers, which meant India defended its 252-run total and won the game by 50 runs.

In order to take an unassailable lead in the series, India chased down 294 runs in the third one-day international in Indore. Hardik Pandya top-scored for India in that particular game.

After clinching the series, India rested some first-choice bowlers for the fourth ODI in Bengaluru, where David Warner's wonderful century saw Australia pile up 334 runs in the first innings. Despite India's fighting effort, they lost the game by 21 runs.

The last game of the series was played in Nagpur, where Rohit Sharma scored a brilliant 125. Due to Rohit's heroics, India went on to win the game by seven wickets.

Hardik Pandya was adjudged the Player of the Series as he played a couple of match-winning knocks during his 222 runs across four innings. He also took six wickets in the series.

#3 Australia beat India 3-2 (5) in 2019

Australia beat India 3-2 in 2019 [Getty Images]

Australia stunned the Men in Blue when they ended India's four-year unbeaten streak at home. The Aaron Finch-led side defeated India 3-2 in a five-match ODI series in 2019.

It was indeed a special series win for Australia, which became the first team to beat India in India after South Africa's 3-2 win back in 2015. It was also India's final assignment before the World Cup 2019, similar to the upcoming three-match rubber against the Aussies preceding the showpiece event.

The Virat Kohli-led unit began the series on a high as they won the first two games in Hyderabad and Nagpur, respectively.

Australia, though, smothered the Indian batting to launch an incredible comeback, powered by the outstanding bowling of Pat Cummins and Adam Zampa.

Usman Khawaja, who made 383 runs in the five games, with two hundreds and as many fifty-pluses, will also remember this series for his outstanding performance.

Following a 32-run win in the third ODI in Ranchi, the Aussies scripted a remarkable run-chase of 359, with an unlikely 43-ball 84 by Ashton Turner in the 4th ODI in Mohali.

The affair went to the series decider in Delhi, where Khwaja's ton led Australia to 272 runs in the first innings. In reply, none of the Indian batters could convert their starts, as they were eventually bundled out for 237 runs.

Interestingly, it was Australia's first and only instance where they scripted a 3-2 series win after being 0-2 down in the first two ODIs.

#2 India beat Australia 2-1 (3) in 2020

Virat Kohli congratulates Rohit Sharma [Getty Images]

Less than 11 months after their series loss, India took their revenge against Australia when the Men in Blue recorded a 2-1 win in January 2020.

The visitors started the series in the ascendancy as they chased down 256 runs unscathed in the first ODI at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Both Finch and Warner remained unbeaten for their respective centuries.

The second one-day international in Rajkot, however, saw India pile up 340 runs in the first innings. KL Rahul blazed away to a 52-ball 80 in that game. In reply, Australia did breach the 300-run mark but failed to go closer to the target as India leveled the series with a 39-run win.

The series finale was hosted in Bengaluru. The crowd at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium was entertained by three of the world's best batters — Steve Smith, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli — as all three came up with brilliant knocks.

In the first innings, Smith made 131 off 132 to help Australia post 286/9. The second innings saw both Sharma and Kohli work in tandem to clinch India the series. While Kohli (89) missed out on a deserving hundred, Rohit smashed 119 runs off 128 balls. India won the game with seven wickets in hand, taking the series 2-1.

#1 Australia beat India 2-1 (3) in 2023

Australia are the only team to beat India in an ODI series since 2015 [Getty Images]

It is not a frequent sight when two teams go head-to-head against each other twice in the same format, in the same country, and in the same year. However, the upcoming series won't be the first ODI series between India and Australia in the former's den this year, as the two nations locked horns earlier as well.

One of India's marquee assignments at the start of 2023 was the Border-Gavasker series against Australia. While India went on to win the BGT 2-1, the Test series was succeeded by three ODIs.

Australia scripted a phenomenal 2-1 win in the 50-over format despite facing a defeat in the opening ODI in Mumbai.

The visitors proved to be class apart in the second ODI (in Vishakhapatnam) as they recorded their biggest-ever win (by balls remaining) against India. After Mitchell Starc's five-wicket haul bundled India out for a mere 117 in the first innings, Travis Head (51*) and Mitchell Marsh (66) aided Australia in chasing down the low score in only 11 overs.

After leveling the series, the Steve Smith-led unit clinched the third ODI as well. Another complete performance saw them win the game in Chennai by 21 runs.

Unfortunately for the Indian fans, the series will always be associated with Suryakumar Yadav's three consecutive first-ball ducks as well.