A returning Glenn Maxwell has ripped India apart to bowl Australia to a 66-run victory after Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith laid the platform with the bat in the third ODI.

After Marsh (96) and Smith (74) set Australia up for a total of 6-352, India got off to a fast start in their chase, as Washington Sundar and the explosive Rohit Sharma put on 74 for the first wicket in just 10 overs.

It looked like India would go on to destroy Australia for the third straight match but Maxwell had other ideas as he took the wickets of India’s biggest names in the third ODI.

First he took the wicket of the struggling Sundar, but when Virat Kohli joined Sharma at the crease India picked up the run rate.

The pair punished the bowling of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc before it was Maxwell who struck once more, surprising even himself in the process.

Sharma, who had monstered his 50 off just 31 balls, hit one straight back at Maxwell, who somehow snaffled the speedy strike in his right hand, looking shocked that he had managed to do so.

The catch turned the match as up until that point India had looked in control.

Kohli was the next victim when he skied one deep to Smith, before Maxwell got one through the gate to clean bowl Shreyas Iyer for 48.

Maxwell would finish with his best ODI bowling figures of 4-40 before Cummins, Starc, Cameron Green, Tanveer Singha and Josh Hazlewood all took wickets as they cleaned up India’s tail, bowling them out for 286.

The result mattered not as India had already taken the series but showed Australia can still be a force at the World Cup as Maxwell and Starc returned to the side.

“It was a great first hit out, they both haven’t played a lot over the last couple of months,” Australia captain Cummins said of the pair.

“Maxxy [took] four for and Starcy looked like he was in great rhythm.”

Maxwell himself downplayed the effort but said he is feeling well-rested ahead of the tournament Australia have won a record five times.

“It’s nice to chip in but I think if Mitch Marsh was on the field we would have chopped and changed a bit more.”

The tourists had earlier set things up when the top order fired in the first innings, with David Warner (56) and Marnus Labuschagne (72) also making half-centuries.

Warner launched Mohammed Siraj for his fourth six to raise a rollicking half-century from just 32 balls before again wasting a promising start through injudicious shot selection, gloving an off-balance, attempted scoop off seamer Prasidh Krishna to wicketkeeper KL Rahul.

Marsh and Smith batted beautifully to add 137 for the second wicket, the placid Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium deck at odds with the extreme conditions.

Marsh was struggling physically towards the end of his knock, doubled over on his haunches and requiring water to be brought out after every over before, before with his second ODI century in sight he bunted a Kuldeep Yadav wrong ‘un to Prasidh at cover.

As Marsh walked slowly off the ground, a weary Smith was sporting ice packs on his head and the back of his neck, while sitting in a plastic chair brought out to the middle.

Despite that Cummins liked what he saw ahead of the World Cup.

“Potentially Trav Head won’t be ready for the start of the tournament,” Cummins said when asked who would open the batting.

“But I think the way him [Marsh] and Davey started today, it looks like a pretty dangerous combination.

Smith was trapped leg-before by Siraj before pace ace Jasprit Bumrah struck twice, dismissing Alex Carey (11) with a slower ball and Maxwell (5), playing his first international in over six months, with a fast yorker.

Labuschagne’s enterprising knock has also given selectors food for thought while ensuring Australia avoided being bowled out for the sixth successive ODI.

Bumrah (3-81) and Kuldeep (2-48), both appearing for the first time this series, shared the bulk of the spoils for India.