India won the fourth one-day international against Australia in Chandigarh on Monday thanks to a late fightback which prevented the tourists recording a successful run chase.
Australia looked as though a victory target of 292 would not pose a problem when Andrew Symonds was at the crease.
But when the burly all-rounder was dismissed, some disciplined bowling and rash batting paved the way for India to clinch an eight-run success.
Australia now lead the seven-match series 2-1 after the first game was washed out.
India won the fourth one-day international against Australia in Chandigarh on Monday thanks to a late fightback which prevented the tourists recording a successful run chase.
Australia looked as though a victory target of 292 would not pose a problem when Andrew Symonds was at the crease.
But when the burly all-rounder was dismissed, some disciplined bowling and rash batting paved the way for India to clinch an eight-run success.
Australia now lead the seven-match series 2-1 after the first game was washed out.
India set the world champions a formidable total but a positive start seemed to have paved the way for Ricky Ponting's men to move 3-0 up.
Although Adam Gilchrist departed for 18, Matthew Hayden and Ponting moved the score on to 122 with some lusty hitting.
Ponting eventually departed for 29, adjudged out of his crease when India wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni whipped off the bails following an Irfan Pathan delivery.
Michael Clarke contributed just six before falling caught and bowled to Harbhajan Singh, a dismissal which brought Symonds out to the middle.
He and his Queensland team-mate scored quick runs to put the Aussies in a position of strength.
And even when Hayden's run-a-ball 92 was ended with an unnecessarily rash shot off Dinesh Kartik, the ball flying to Zaheer Khan in the deep, the hosts were still second favourites.
But the Aussies stumbled uncharacteristically.
Brad Hodge made 17 before becoming Dhoni's second stumping victim and then RP Singh came on to claim two vital wickets in one over - and effectively settle the contest.
First he bowled Symonds and then, from the next ball, ran out Brad Hogg with a sharp throw.
James Hopes and Brett Lee were unable to get Australia over the line and they eventually finished their 50 overs on 283 for seven.
Half-centuries from Sachin Tendulkar and Dhoni helped India reach 291 for four in their knock.
The hosts elected to bat after winning the toss, and the decision looked a good one with Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly quickly settling into their stride.
Tendulkar reached his 50 in the 16th over and the duo enjoyed a first-wicket stand of 91 before the tourists finally made the breakthrough when Ganguly (41) edged Hopes' delivery to Gilchrist.
That signalled the arrival of Yuvraj Singh at the crease, and he and Tendulkar developed another fruitful partnership of 83 to keep the scoreboard ticking over for India.
Yuvraj (39) became Hopes' second victim in the 36th over however, with Ponting taking the catch at short cover.
Tendulkar continued to frustrate the Australian attack, and he and Dhoni added 47 runs in their third-wicket stand until a mix-up resulted in Tendulkar being run-out on 79.
Rahul Dravid managed just 13 runs before he became the fourth wicket to tumble, bowled between bat and pad by Nathan Bracken, but Dhoni and Robin Uthappa steered India on to a sizeable total.
Dhoni was unbeaten on 50 at the end of India's innings with Uthappa not out on 30.
Hopes was the pick of the bowlers for the tourists, finishing with figures of two for 43.
Ponting opted afterwards to praise India rather than criticise his own side.
He said: "What a fantastic game of cricket. India batted well up front and kept some wickets in hand.
"I don't think we did a bad job in the field and that total was gettable but it wasn't to be.
"Symonds was a big dismissal for India and Hayden's wicket was crucial as well.
"They played some excellent cricket and deserved to win."
Dhoni, who was also named the man of the match primarily for his work behind the stumps, said: "It was a total team effort.
"That's the way we need to play, be aggressive. If you get bogged down against Australia then you can't come back.
"We got the wickets when we needed them, especially Hayden and Symonds."
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