This is the first time India will play a bilateral series on Australian soil.
Steve Smith's side is a team in transition and it could be M S Dhoni's best chance of winning back pride in a country where he relinquished the Test captaincy.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni leads India against Australia in a five-ODI and three-T20 International series Down Under, which could well be his last as captain.
Series defeats against South Africa (home) and Bangladesh (away) have raised questions about his future at the helm.
The Australian series is considered a make-or-break for India's most successful captain.
Dhoni's greatest triumph Down Under was when India won a tri-series in 2008.
After that, India has failed to win the three ODI series, in 2009, 2012 and 2014-2015.
In the 2014-2015 tournament, played ahead of the World Cup, the Men in Blue did not win a single game in the tri-series, which also featured England.
This is the first time India is playing a bilateral series on Australian soil.
The Australians may be World champions and have defeated India in the 2015 World Cup semi-final, but Steve Smith's side is a team in transition and it could be MS' golden chance of restoring pride in a country where he relinquished the Test captaincy.
Ahead of the series Rajneesh Gupta presents the head-to-head record of the two teams.
India-Australia : Head-to-Head in One-Day Internationals
| Matches | India | Australia | No Result | |
| Overall | 118 | 40 | 68 | 10 |
| In Australia | 43 | 10 | 31 | 2 |
| In India | 51 | 21 | 25 | 5 |
| At neutral venues | 24 | 9 | 12 | 3 |
India-Australia in One-Day Internationals in different eras
| Matches | India | Australia | No Result | |
| Before 1990 | 31 | 12 | 16 | 3 |
| Between 1990 & 1999 | 26 | 10 | 16 | 0 |
| Since 2000 | 61 | 18 | 36 | 7 |
India-Australia in One-Day Internationals in bilateral series/tournaments
| Matches | India | Australia | No Result | |
| In bilateral series | 36 | 13 | 18 | 5 |
| In tournaments featuring 3 teams | 59 | 15 | 40 | 4 |
| In tournaments (more than 3 teams) | 23 | 12 | 10 | 1 |
This is the first time India is playing a bilateral series in Australia. All other bilateral series between India and Australia have been played in India, with India winning three and Australia four. The results:
| Season | Matches | India | Australia | No Result |
| 1984-1985 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
|
1986-1987 |
6 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 2000-2001 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 2007-2008 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 2009-2010 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
|
2010-2011 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
2013-2014 |
6 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
- The 2009-2010 series comprised seven matches, but one match was abandoned because of rain.
- The 2010-2011 series comprised three matches, but two matches were abandoned because of rain. India won the series by virtue of winning the only match in which play was possible.
India vs Australia ODIs at Australian venues
| Matches | India | Australia | No Result | |
| Sydney | 15 | 1 | 13 | 1 |
| Melbourne | 13 | 5 | 8 | 0 |
| Brisbane | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Adelaide | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Perth | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Hobart | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
India-Australia ODIs in Australia
| Date | Venue | Batted 1st | Batted 2nd | Result |
| December 6, 1980 | Melbourne | India 208/9 (49) | Australia 142 (42.1) | India won by 66 runs |
| December 1980 | Sydney | India 180/9 (49) | Australia 183/1 (42.2) | Australia won by 9 wickets |
| January 8, 1981 | Sydney | India 63 (25.5) | Australia 64/1 (21) | Australia won by 9 wickets |
| January 11, 1981 | Melbourne | India 192/5 (50) | Australia 193/3 (47.2) | Australia won by 7 wickets |
| January 15, 1981 | Sydney | Australia 242/8 (50) | India 215/8 (50) | Australia won by 27 runs |
| March 3, 1985 | Melbourne | Australia 163 (49.3) | India 165/2 (36.1) | India won by 8 wickets |
| January 12, 1986 | Brisbane | India 161 (43) | Australia 164/6 (45.2) | Australia won by 4 wickets |
| January 16, 1986 | Melbourne | Australia 161 (44.2) | India 162/2 (40.2) | India won by 8 wickets |
| January 21, 1986 | Sydney | Australia 292/6 (50) | India 192/4 (50) | Australia won by 100 runs |
| January 26, 1986 | Adelaide | Australia 262/8 (50) | India 226 (45.3) | Australia won by 36 runs |
| January 31, 1986 | Melbourne | Australia 235/7 (50) | India 238/4 (48.5) | India won by 6 wickets |
| February 5, 1986 | Sydney | Australia 170/8 (44) | India 159 (43.4) | Australia won by 11 runs |
| Febauray 9, 1986 | Melbourne | India 187 (50) | Australia 188/3 (47.2) | Australia won by 7 wickets |
| December 8, 1991 | Perth | India 208/7 (50) | Australia 101 (37.5) | India won by 107 runs |
| December 10, 1991 | Hobart | India 175/8 (50) | Australia 176/2 (48.3) | Australia won by 8 wickets |
| December 15, 1991 | Adelaide | India 157 (48.4) | Australia 158/4 (40.5) | Australia won by 6 wickets |
| January 14, 1992 | Sydney | India 175 (49.4) | Australia 177/1 (39.2) | Australia won by 9 wickets |
| January 18, 1992 | Melbourne | Australia 233/5 (50) | India 145 (42) | Australia won by 88 runs |
| January 20, 1992 | Sydney | Australia 208/9 (50) | India 202/7 (50) | Australia won by 6 runs |
| March 1, 1992 | Brisbane | Australia 237/9 (50) | India 234 (47) | Australia won by 1 run # |
| January 12, 2000 | Melbourne | Australia 269/7 (50) | India 241/6 (50) | Australia won by 28 runs |
| January 14, 2000 | Sydney | India 100 (36.3) | Australia 101/5 (26.5) | Australia won by 5 wickets |
| January 26, 2000 | Adelaide | Australia 329/5 (50) | Ind 177 (46.5) | Australia won by 152 runs |
| January 30, 2000 | Perth | India 226/6 (50) | Australia 230/6 (49.3) | Australia won by 4 wickets |
| January 9, 2004 | Melbourne | Australia 288 (48.3) | India 270 (49) | Australia won by 18 runs |
| January 18, 2004 | Brisbane | India 303/4 (50) | Australia 284 (49.4) | India won by 19 runs |
| January 22, 2004 | Sydney | India 296/4 (50) | Australia 225/8 (33.5) | Australia won by 2 wickets (D/L) # |
| February 1, 2004 | Perth | India 203 (49) | Australia 204/5 (32) | Australia won by 5 wickets |
| February 6, 2004 | Melbourne | India 222 (49) | Australia 224/3 (40.1) | Aus won by 7 wickets |
| February 8, 2004 | Sydney | Australia 359/5 (50) | India 151 (33.2) | Australia won by 208 runs |
| February 3, 2008 | Brisbane | India 194 (45) | Aus 51/3 (7.2) | No result |
| February 10, 2008 | Melbourne | Australia 159 (43.1) | India 160/5 (45.5) | India won by 5 wickets |
| February 17, 2008 | Adelaide | Australia 203/9 (50) | India 153 (41.2) | Australia won by 50 runs |
| February 24, 2008 | Sydney | Australia 317/7 (50) | India 299 (49.1) | Australia won by 18 runs |
| March 2, 2008 | Sydney | Australia 239/8 (50) | India 242/4 (45.5) | India won by 6 wickets |
| March 4, 2008 | Brisbane | India 258/9 (50) | Australia 249 (49.4) | India won by 9 runs |
| February 5, 2012 | Melbourne | Australia 216/5 (32) | India 151 (29.4) | Australia won by 65 runs (D/L) # |
| February 12, 2012 | Adelaide | Australia 269/8 (50) | India 270/6 (49.4) | India won by 4 wickets |
| February 19, 2012 | Brisbane | Australia 288/5 (50) | India 178 (43.3) | Australia won by 110 runs |
| February 26, 2012 | Sydney | Australia 252/9 (50) | India 165 (39.3) | Australia won by 87 runs |
| January 18, 2015 | Melbourne | India 267/8 (50) | Australia 269/6 (49) | Australia won by 4 wickets |
| January 26, 2015 | Sydney | India 69/2 (16) | Australia did not bat | No result |
| March 26, 2015 | Sydney | Australia 328/7 (50) | India 233 (46.5) | Australia won by 95 runs |
