Win or lose Friday's series-decider, Australia will take plenty of positives from their ODIs against India as they gear up for their World Cup defence.
Victory at the MCG would hand Aaron Finch's men their first series win in two years.
Since beating Pakistan 4-1 in January 2017, Australia have won four and lost 20 ODIs with three no-results due to weather.
It is an alarming trend which national selectors have been understandably keen to correct ahead of the World Cup starting in May.
Early evidence suggests they could be onto a winner by installing a new-look middle order of Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb.
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Marsh has continued his remarkable ODI form with scores of 54 and 131 while Khawaja and Handscomb both scored fifties during Australia's series-opening victory in Sydney.
"There's been a lot of talk around our batting, particularly in one-day cricket and through them middle overs," Finch said.
"The way that we've played their spin so far - 3-115 from the 22 overs in Sydney and then 1-115 last game - I think is a really good indication that the improvement's there and the mindset shift in particular from the last couple of months has been really good."
Prolonged white-ball struggles, a rare home Test series defeat and a new broadcast deal which splits rights between Seven and Fox Cricket has ensured Australia's cricketers have had no shortage of free advice from former players.
Finch has urged his younger teammates to tune out the commentary, noting that the best guidance often came from trusted confidantes.
"I think for the young guys it's important to not let that get to you," he said.
"It's important to have your own network of people to go back to and people who you really trust with your own game outside of the Australian cricket team coaches.
"At times, the best thing you can do is go back and see someone who you're really comfortable with and who's seen your game over a long period of time ... that can be really refreshing."
