It is difficult to comprehend, especially with their many injury worries, but the fact is Australia lead the Hero Honda Cup seven-ODI series 3-2 going into Sunday's sixth game in Guwahati.
No wonder they are upbeat about their chances and looking to seal the series before landing in Mumbai for the final match.
"There's plenty of motivation for us because if we win the match we obviously win the series," said Michael Hussey, confidence personified, probably reflecting the mood of the team.
"It should be a good game and we are looking forward to this match."
If Australia win the series they retain their No 1 ODI ranking. If they lose, the ranking goes to the hosts.
India, in fact, were on the verge of snatching the crown from the Aussies ahead of Mohali but have since ensured the Men in Blue stay on the verge.
Is protecting their ranking a motivating factor for this Australian team that is somehow managing to win matches despite being a makeshift arrangement?
"It would be nice to continue being the No 1 side. But it is not something that motivates us," said Hussey.
"What does motivate us is to beat India in this series. Because if we do that we are going to be No 1 anyways."
Even though their batsmen have done the trick for them, it is the bowling -- in the absence of the likes of Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken, Peter Siddle et al -- that has somehow managed to hold back a powerful Indian batting line-up.
"It is good that we have given opportunity to new guys. Obviously, we have had a few injuries along the way in this particular tour and that's been disappointing. But the positive from this is that these guys have got the chance," explained Hussey.
"They had been on the outskirts of the team for quite some time and were itching for an opportunity. So it is great that some of them have finally got the opportunity to show how good they can be.
"Especially, considering the fact that we need to have as many experienced options possible ahead of the World Cup."
And if their inexperienced bowlers have tried hard, their fielders have excelled.
"It's our fielding that we pride ourselves on," said Hussey. "It can make a difference of 15-20 runs in a side's total and in one-day cricket in particular that margin eventually happens to be the difference between the two sides.
"Adam Voges's catch of MS Dhoni in Hyderabad was a great effort," he added.
Despite being ahead in the series and going into the next game with a psychological advantage, complacency is the last thing on the Australians' mind. And underestimating the strength of Team India is out of question.
"India has a whole lot of match winners," said Hussey, adding, "there's not a single player in the side whom we can take lightly."
It is probably this assessment of the opposition and the subsequent effort to overpower them that keeps even an under strength Australia where it belongs -- right at the top.
