A sensational captain's knock from Mahendra Singh Dhoni saw India sneak home to a four-wicket victory over Australia in match four of the ODI tri-series in Adelaide on Sunday.

The ice-cool captain held his nerve in a tense final over which saw India get the required 13 to surpass Australia's total of 269 for eight.

India's innings was off to a racing start with Gautam Gambhir (92) and Virender Sehwag (20) putting on 51 for the first wicket until the latter cut to David Hussey off Clint McKay. McKay then got rid of the dangerous Virat Kohli (18), before Rohit Sharma was sent back to the stands for 33 after being caught by Mitchell Starc.

McKay bagged his third when he trapped Gambhir lbw, just eight short of his ton. At 178 for four the match was still firmly in the balance and the emergence of Dhoni from the pavilion still kept India in with a shout. However, the Indian skipper batted rather slowly for a period around the middle overs and with the required run rate creeping above the seven mark it started to look tougher and tougher for the visitors.

Australia captain Michael Clarke saw his decision to keep Xavier Doherty bowling near the death vindicated as the spinner bowled Suresh Raina (33) before luring Ravindra Jadeja (12) into a false stroke which saw the all-rounder caught by Ricky Ponting on the mid-wicket fence.

However, a calm Dhoni (44 not out) inched the Indians towards the target until the final over which was bowled by McKay. The Australian fast bowler lost his nerve as he kept Ravichandran Ashwin to a dot ball off the first ball and then conceded the single off the second. Despite an easy two being on offer, Dhoni turned down the second, took the responsibility and proceeded to smash McKay high into stands over long-off for six. The bowler then responded with a high full-toss which was hooked straight into the hands of the fielder at deep square-leg, but the umpire called no-ball on height which also allowed the batsmen to scamper two. With three then required off the final three balls, Dhoni nonchalantly pulled McKay backward of square and ran a comfortable three to complete the Indian win.

Earlier, a half-century apiece for Peter Forrest and David Hussey steered Australia to what appeared to be a formidable total of 269 after Clarke won the toss.

It was as Ricky Ponting rather than Matthew Wade opened the innings alongside David Warner and the move didn't prove successful, with the former captain out early after squirting a thick edge to point.

His successor then strode to the crease at three, tucking into some flashy stroke play and ballsy shot selection across a promising cameo of 38, but not before playing his part in the unfortunate run-out of David Warner for just 18. Robbed of witnessing Michael Hussey and Sachin Tendulkar - both rested - the Adelaide crowd would have wanted the swashbuckling Warner to weigh in.

Forrest was remarkably at ease on ODI debut, tucking into a lavish cut for four and an expansive six over long-on early in his innings to settle any potential nerves. With his skipper encouraging him with numerous pep talks throughout, the rookie blossomed with every shot.

Clarke's eventual downfall came on the back of a shot entirely out of character. The right-hander looked to crack a slower ball through the off-side with a rather rash stroke, succeeding only in chopping the ball onto his stumps.

Unperturbed by his leader's departure, Queensland graduate Forrest brought up his half-century from 71 balls and found a new partner in David Hussey, who orchestrated a workmanlike 50 along the way. Afforded a lifeline by an umpiring blunder on 46, the veteran really looked the part bar that one mistaken edge.

With Forrest holing out at midwicket mid-batting Powerplay for 66 and Hussey falling victim to Virender Sehwag's sensational catch at backward square-leg for 72, Dan Christian and Wade were left to chase 300.

Christian succeeded, to an extent, moving to his highest ODI score of 39, while Wade was out of place down the order for 16 runs riddled with miscues.

Umesh Yadav, picked ahead of Praveen Kumar, was the pick of the bowlers with figures of two for 49, while Vinay Kumar's probing line and slew of slower balls brought him two for 58.