Smith keen to extend run against India

Australia hold an unassailable 4-0 lead in their five-game one-day series against India on home soil.

Australia';s Aaron Finch, Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith

Australia hold an unassailable 4-0 lead in their five-game one-day series against India on home soil (AAP)

Australian skipper Steve Smith doesn't just want a whitewash, he's after more domination.

With Australia holding an unassailable 4-0 lead in their five-game one-day series against India, Saturday's fifth and final match appears nothing more than another dead rubber.

But with the Twenty20 World Cup on the subcontinent just around the corner, Smith is desperate to continue his side's undefeated run against India that stretches over two years.

Not since Rohit Sharma's double-century in game seven of a one-day series in November 2013 has an Australian team tasted defeat at the hands of India in any format of the game.

"We've played some very good cricket against them of late," Smith said on Friday.

"We dominated them when they were out here last summer, we beat them in the World Cup semi-final and we're up 4-0 so we're in a good spot.

"Hopefully we can top it off tomorrow with a 5-0 whitewash."

The home side could be forced to make one change from the line-up that came back from the dead in Canberra, with allrounder Glenn Maxwell still hurting after being struck on the knee while batting.

Smith said he would be given until Saturday morning to prove his fitness.

"He might've had something with his hamstring as well. We'll wait and see how he pulls up and see how the team goes from there," he said.

Offspinner Nathan Lyon is one member of the team who will be eager to impress on his home track.

In his first match in coloured kits in over a year, the Test mainstay was experimented with early to change up a bowling unit that has found it tough going early in the Indian innings.

Lyon managed just 1/76 off his 10 overs but should do more at the spin-friendly SCG.

"That's one part of our game that we haven't been doing so well at, starting well with the ball, so I thought we'd try something a little bit different," Smith said.

"They had a little bit of luck, they hit a few balls in the air where we could've taken a few early wickets.

"He's playing on a wicket that does traditionally spin a little bit. `Hopefully he can get a little bit of purchase out of it and take a few of the Indians' wickets."


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Source: AAP



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