India secured an ODI series win after comprehensively defeating Australia by 99 runs (DLS method) in the rain-hit contest at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday.

Shubman Gill (104 off 97 balls) and Shreyas Iyer (105 off 90 balls) together formed a fierce 200-run partnership to guide the hosts to 5-399, India’s highest ODI total against Australia.

In response, Australia scored 217 in 28.2 overs, with some late heroics from Sean Abbott (54 off 36 balls) ensuring the tourists avoided their heaviest defeat to India in ODI history.

The miserable chase was marked by strange dismissals and lethargic batting, with Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja taking three wickets each.

It was Australia’s fifth consecutive ODI defeat, giving Pat Cummins’ men plenty to think about ahead of next month’s World Cup campaign. Meanwhile, India have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series that continues on Wednesday evening.

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“World Cups are about peaking at the right time and we certainly haven’t done that at this point,” Australia stand-in captain Steve Smith said in the post-match presentation.

“We know we have a good team, so hopefully we can turn things around in the next game.”

Smith won the toss and elected first, with Josh Hazlewood making an early breakthrough in the fourth over, removing Indian opener Ruturaj Gaikwad for 8. The Bendemeer ball produced a peach that hit Gaikwad’s outside edge and wicketkeeper Alex Carey swallowed the catch.

India were racing towards 1-79 before rain began to fall in the tenth over and Gill wasted no time after the brief delay, reaching his half-century in just 37 deliveries.

Taking advantage of the short boundaries and lifeless wicket, Gill and Iyer managed to clear the rope seven times between them during their brutal attack.

Iyer, who was later named man of the match, brought up his third ODI hundred in just 86 balls but was given a huge reprieve a few balls later. Abbott appeared to have a great return catch in the 31st, but replays showed the ball hit the ground after his diving attempt.

However, Iyer failed to make the most of his extra life in the middle and was later caught at mid-wicket by Matthew Short in the same over.

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A few minutes later, Gill saluted the Indore crowd to mark his sixth ODI hundred, reaching the milestone in 92 balls, but the 24-year-old was back in the shed after top-edging a length toss against Cameron Green had achieved.

Ishan Kishan hit his first delivery over fine leg for six and along with captain KL Rahul formed a 59-run partnership for the third wicket. Leg-spinner Adam Zampa broke the stand and dismissed Kishan for 31 (18th) after Carey sprinted to mid-on to grab the high chance.

However, Kishan’s departure only brought Suryakumar Yadav into the crease and the white-ball superstar hit four straight sixes off Green to send the Indore crowd into a frenzy.

Rahul reached his half-century in just 35 balls before falling prey to Green, hitting leg stump for 52 (38). Yadav brought up his own fifty a few overs later but needed just 24 tosses to reach the minor milestone.

A late attack from Yadav, who finished unbeaten on 72 (37) with six boundaries and six sixes, took India to a record-breaking total.

Australia’s run chase got off to a terrible start with Indian seamer Prasidh Krishna removing openers Matthew Short and Smith on successive deliveries in the second over. Short was caught at deep third man for 9 (8) before Smith fended off a cutting shot towards first slip for a golden duck, his first in international cricket since January 2017.

The dreaded rain returned in the ninth over and Australia’s target was adjusted to 317 in 33 overs using the DLS method.

Experienced opener David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne formed an 80-run partnership for the third wicket before Ashwin deceived the Queenslander with a beautiful carrom ball and bowled for 27 (31).

Warner added to his half-century in 38 deliveries thanks to some sloppy falls before switching to a right-handed stance against Ashwin. However, in bizarre scenes, the 36-year-old was awarded LBW after botching a switch hit against the off-spinner, with replays showing he had hit the ball on his pad.

Later in the same over, Ashwin caught a sweeping Josh Inglis on the pads with another carrom ball, putting the Australians in great distress.

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The carnage was far from over – wicketkeeper Alex Carey hacked back to his stumps for 14 (12) and handed Ravindra Jadeja his first wicket of the game, before Green was bowled out for 19 (13) after lazily missing his bat for a quick single.

Zampa was bowled cleanly by Jadeja for 5 (5) before Abbott and Hazlewood provided some late fireworks, resulting in a 77-run partnership for the ninth wicket that included a couple of terrible dropped catches.

Abbott scored a half-century, his first at international level, and Hazlewood equaled his career-best ODI score (23 from 16 balls) before Jadeja brought the finishing touch.

Earlier, Spencer Johnson received his first cap from Mitchell Starc, becoming the 243rd cricketer to represent Australia in men’s ODIs. The visitors made four changes to their starting XI ahead of the second ODI, with captain Pat Cummins and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh rested for the Indore contest.

The third ODI between India and Australia begins on Wednesday at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot, with the first ball scheduled for 6pm AEST.