SYDNEY, Oct 25, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Paceman Harshit Rana grabbed four wickets to bowl out Australia for 236 in the final one-day international as India strive to prevent a whitewash of the three-match series.

The hosts were ticking along nicely at 183-3 in front of a sold-out Sydney Cricket Ground but lost their last seven wickets for just 53 to be all out with 3.2 overs left.

Rana did the damage with 4-39 while Matt Renshaw top-scored on 56 after Mitchell Marsh won the toss and opted to bat.

Australia have already clinched the series after a two-wicket win in Adelaide followed a seven-wicket victory at Perth, with India playing for pride.

Marsh and Travis Head made a watchful start, with the visitors finding some early swing.

But once they got their eye in, the runs started flowing with both going on the attack, picking off boundaries.

Head looked dangerous, hitting six fours in reaching 29 off 25 balls, passing 3,000 one-day runs en route. But he failed to control a cut shot off Mohammed Siraj and was caught at backward point.

Matt Short should have been run out without scoring in the same over but Shubman Gill missed a sitter with the throw and he survived.

Marsh was bowled for 41, confounded by the spin of Axar Patel, and when Short (30) was well caught by Virat Kohli off Washington Sundar Australia were 124-3 after 23 overs.

Shreyas Iyer pulled off a sensational backpeddling catch to remove Alex Carey (24), but hurt himself after falling heavily, casting doubt on whether he will bat.

It sparked a collapse.

Renshaw reached a maiden ODI half-century after being called up for the series following more than two years in the international wilderness.

But with the runs drying up, he charged at Sundar and was trapped lbw, and when Mitchell Owen departed for one and Mitchell Starc for two Australia were in trouble at 201-7.

Cooper Connolly made a late 23 but the tail failed to wag as India turned the screws.