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Marcus Stoinis threatened to drag Australia to victory but fellow all-rounder Vijay Shankar proved a consummate closer in Nagpur, where India won a final-over ODI thriller by eight runs.
Virat Kohli, invited to bat first in the topsy-turvy clash that handed the hosts a 2-0 lead in the five-match series, scored 116 as India were bowled out for 250 in 48.2 overs.
The tourists motored to 0-83 but Aaron Finch's dismissal on 37 prompted a collapse of 4-49 that was bookended by wickets from left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
Stoinis, demoted to number six in a reshuffled order following Shaun Marsh's return, strode to the crease and scored 52 under immense pressure as momentum continued to shift frequently.
Stoinis, on strike and with 11 runs required when the final over started, looked to attack medium-pacer Shankar's first delivery but was instead trapped lbw.
The West Australian reviewed the on-field decision and it only delayed the inevitable.
Adam Zampa scored two to give his teammates hope of a miracle then was clean bowled by Shankar, who was hammered for 13 runs during his only other over in the match.
"We're all hurting," Pat Cummins said, having snared 4-29 and dismissed Kohli.
"You always look back … could you have done something different?
"When Marcus is there, you always feel like we're in with a chance. He's been the closer for the last couple of years, played some unbelievable knocks and assesses the game really well.
"It's really, really disappointing to lose but all is not lost, there's still three games to go."
Finch described Stoinis' innings as brilliant in the post-match ceremony, lamenting how nobody in Australia's top order posted a big score.
Shankar earlier scored 46 and was unlucky to be run out at the non-striker's end by Zampa, who got a hand to the ball after it was hammered back at him by Kohli.
"After the 48th over, Jasprit Bumrah came up to me and told me the ball was reversing a bit. That I need to hit the right length and give myself a chance to hit the stumps," Shankar recalled.
Bumrah was pivotal in the low-scoring contest, returning to the attack when Australia were 6-222 and required 29 from 30 balls.
Bumrah fired out Cummins and Nathan Coulter-Nile in the 46th over, which cost one run, then conceded a single run during his final over.
Australia will take some solace from the fact that some 248 of India's 250 runs were scored when Kohli was at the crease, with Cummins insisting there are plenty of positives as the World Cup looms large.
"We're taking every single game deep," the paceman said.
"I feel like every time we walk on the field we're a real shot of winning a game, no matter the circumstances.
"We've still got quite a lot of cricket before the World Cup but I honestly think it's in a really good place."
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Topics: sport, cricket, india, australia
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