A magnificent century from Andrew Symonds and four wickets from Brad Hogg ensured an 18-run victory for Australia in the sixth one-day international at Nagpur and ended any hopes of India salvaging a draw from the series.
Symonds hit a magnificent unbeaten 107 from 88 balls as Australia posted an imposing 317 for eight in their 50 overs, but the hosts seemed in with a real chance of victory when Sourav Ganguly (86 from 111) and Sachin Tendulkar (72 from 72) forged an opening partnership of 140.
Hogg claimed four wickets to stall India's reply and, though Robin Uthappa (44 from 28) rekindled hope, he could not prevent his side falling 4-1 behind in the seven-match series.
With Matthew Hayden out because of a hip injury, Michael Clarke opened the Australian innings with Adam Gilchrist, but he bagged a golden duck suffering a strangle down the leg side off the bowling of Zaheer Khan.
Gilchrist (51 off 47 balls) and Ricky Ponting (49 off 44) recovered the situation, compiling a second-wicket partnership of 98, with Gilchrist in particular playing some expansive strokes.
Australia were stuttering on 129 for four when Brad Haddin, in the side because of Hayden's injury, came to the crease and played the anchor role as Symonds cut loose.
The pair constructed a partnership of 75, with Symonds matching power and finesse to dominate proceedings on the way to his sixth ODI century.
Haddin made 25 off 53 balls before falling to the returning Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, but that brought James Hopes to the middle.
The all-rounder claimed a rapid 39, holding his own in a partnership of 90 with Symonds before mistiming a hook off Zaheer to Dravid.
The experienced opening partnership of Ganguly and Tendulkar gave India just the start they needed, bringing up their century stand in 120 balls.
But the hosts' reply became bogged down in the middle order.
Hogg (four for 49) claimed the wicket of Ganguly, as well as Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh.
A quickfire stand of 72 between Uthappa and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (26 off 29) briefly gave the Indians hope, but when the former was the victim of an excellent catch from Hopes diving forward, it signalled the end of the resistance.
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