(ESPNCRICINFO) – MATTHEW Short made India pay for sloppy fielding on his BBL home at Adelaide Oval before Cooper Connolly showcased composure at the death as Australia clinched the ODI series on a day where Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had contrasting fortunes with the bat.

Chasing 265 under lights, after player of the match Adam Zampa took four wickets with the ball, Australia were in trouble at 132 for 4 before Short and Connolly steadied the ship with a half-century partnership. Short, in his 17th ODI, made a career best 74 off 78 while inexperienced allrounders Connolly and Mitchell Owen helped secure Australia’s series triumph on the back of a seven-wicket victory in the first ODI.

There was a late twist with Australia losing three quick wickets, but Connolly’s calmness ensured the third ODI in Sydney will be a dead rubber.

The performances of Short, Connolly and Owen will please Australia’s hierarchy, looking to build depth with an eye towards the 2027 World Cup. Owen blasted 36 off 23 balls in his debut ODI innings, while Connolly finished 61 not out from 53 balls as Australia reached the target in the 47th over.

Connolly had only made 10 runs in three previous ODI innings, but has shown a knack of performing in big moments in his fledgling domestic career.

Even though they fought to the end, it’s been a disappointing return for India in the 50-over format in a shaky start to Shubman Gill’s ODI captaincy reign.

After being sent in under sunny skies at the Adelaide Oval, India – sticking with the same XI – could not quite get going despite teasing on several occasions with Rohit and Shreyas Iyer threatening with a 118-run third-wicket partnership.

For the first time in his legendary ODI career, Kohli has fallen for consecutive ducks but Rohit fared much better with 73 off 97 balls as he overtook Sourav Ganguly into third place on India’s ODI runs list.

Australia’s trio of quicks conjured movement off the surface, with swing bowler Xavier Bartlett proving an inspired selection having replaced a resting Nathan Ellis. After Josh Hazlewood bowled without reward in his opening spell, Bartlett rocked India’s top order with the dismissals of Gill and Kohli in the seventh over.

Bartlett and legspinner Zampa claimed seven wickets between them, but Hazlewood again was the standout despite not taking a wicket after conceding just 29 runs from 10 overs.

After a new-ball assault in Perth warmed the hearts of Australia’s hierarchy ahead of the Ashes, Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc continued their strong start to the international summer with probing bowling.

Hazlewood started with two maidens in a seven-over burst and particularly troubled Rohit, but was left frustrated after two unsuccessful reviews.

There has been a lot of pressure on Rohit with his future uncertain as India start building towards the 2027 World Cup. After a scratchy 8 in Perth, Rohit was almost run out in the third over by a direct throw from Owen only to scramble back just in time.

Rohit could do little against the unrelenting accuracy of Hazlewood, who targeted a fuller length with plenty of seam movement on offer. At one stage Rohit went 17 balls without scoring a run against Hazlewood.