In the lead-up to tackling India at The Oval in London, the chat from Australia was all pretty upbeat. They had, after all, won three matches in India just a couple of months previously to turn a series deficit into a stirring victory.

But when this World Cup match-up began India handed out a lesson in how to bat, putting on a 50-over masterclass and then watching Australia flunk the exam.

India had to start out cautiously. Mitchell Starc and Patrick Cummins were bowling with serious pace and menace, and a 10:30am start meant that the nature of the pitch wasn't fully apparent.

So Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma were circumspect, working through the first 10 overs for a partnership of 41.

Once their base was set and conditions assessed, their stand swelled in tempo and belligerence. As they equalled Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden's mark of 16 century stands, Dhawan in particular started exhibiting the kind of timing that has haunted Australian bowlers before, scything through backward point and cover from fuller balls, ramping and uppercutting shorter ones.

There is a curious tension in India innings. The fans like those who flooded The Oval in blue shirts want to see their team off to a good start. But they equally want a wicket to fall so they can cheer Virat Kohli to the crease, just as they once waited for Sachin Tendulkar.

Rohit obliged on 57, edging a short ball from Nathan Coulter-Nile, but with Kohli effortlessly turning over the strike Dhawan had licence to keep attacking until he finally holed out for a fast 117.

Australia tried everything to stop Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan — but they couldn't until the damage was done. ( AP: Aijaz Rahi )

The Indian team has tried more candidates at number four in the last few years than Australia has had prime ministers. This match offered a highly effective solution: have your second wicket fall after 37 overs, then elevate your all-rounder.

Hardik Pandya first showed off his hitting in England during the Champions Trophy in 2017, when he walked in with two overs left against Pakistan at Edgbaston and blasted three balls in a row from Imad Wasim out of the ground.

He found his range immediately against Australia on Sunday, lacing 48 from 27 balls including a six into the top row of seats on the western side of the ground.

India peak perfectly for great one-day innings

When he went after one too many, MS Dhoni and KL Rahul were able to play cameos at even faster strike rates. India took 116 from the final 10 overs. While Kohli was the constant scoring at about eight runs per over, his partners in crime went at closer to 14.

Break down the anatomy of a one-day innings and this was a perfect performance. India have abandoned the 1996 idea of thrashing from the first over, preferring to consolidate and rely on their power to score later.

With skipper Virat Kohli playing the anchor role, his Indian teammates launched at the Australian bowling late on. ( AP Photo/Frank Augstein )

But not too late; it's about an initial build, then an increasing crescendo, with one initial accelerator giving way to another before a final flourish.

Australia in reply tried to mimic the early build, forced into it by outstanding fast bowling, but after the opening overs David Warner wasn't able to shift up through the gears. India would have planned to make up ground in the middle overs against the bowling of Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa. Australia could only hope rather than plan to score against the formidable wrist-spin of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal.

You had to feel for Aaron Finch. Australia's captain has endured a torrid time against India, starting last December when his brief Test career came to an end. This time, on a huge stage, he fought through against the attack that had caused him such trouble.

In the 10th over he lashed a six and two fours from Pandya. Adding misfortune to misfire, Warner called Finch through for a second run that was there for the bold, but Finch stuttered and cost himself a vital half metre.

Aaron Finch's run-out left the Australian batting with too much to do to get to 353. ( AP: Frank Augstein )

Aussie campaign could falter if big chases needed

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Finch is one of the few in Australia's side who can score genuinely fast. He left Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja being asked to operate at a level beyond them. Smith was the most agitated he has ever been on a cricket field, remonstrating with himself and gesturing to gaps in the field when he failed to find them.

By the time Maxwell and Stoinis arrived the asking rate was absurd, leaving Alex Carey to carve a fast 55 that was never going to change the result but made the contest look close when it never was.

The lead-up lines from Australian supporters had sounded good — 10 wins in a row, starting to hit form. But tilt the angle slightly and it shows those wins since March coming against a relaxed Indian side experimenting for World Cup places, a Pakistan B-team with eight players missing, an Afghanistan side that wasn't beaten convincingly, and West Indies batting that crumbled under pressure.

Australia's wins over Afghanistan and the West Indies may not have been a true indication of where the team is at.

It's worth noting that when Australia did win that March series, it really got going in Mohali with a chase larger than the one in London. And running down 359 in Mohali that night involved three things: Usman Khawaja opening the batting for 91, Peter Handscomb controlling the middle overs with 117 off 105, and a power hitter down the order in Ashton Turner who made 84 off 43.

Now Khawaja has been shifted where he's far less suited, while Handscomb and Turner were pushed out of the squad by Warner and Smith. Warner is battling, Smith is playing the same role as Khawaja and reserve bat Shaun Marsh. With Marcus Stoinis in poor form, the hitting falls entirely to Maxwell.

So fundamentally, when really big runs are needed, this side lacks the structure and the cattle. If Australia can bowl every other side out for 280 then a World Cup could be theirs. But chances are there will come other games in this tournament when 350 is required. India have just shown how it's done.