Australia 217 for 4 (Mooney 76*, Healy 50, Sutherland 48*) beat India 214 (Mandhana 58, Harmanpreet 53, Gautam 43, Gardner 3-33) by six wickets
Skipper Alyssa Healy kick-started her farewell tour with a half-century in the ODI opener against World Cup champions India to spearhead Australia's dominant chase in seam-friendly conditions at the Allan Border Field.
The comprehensive victory drew Australia level in the multi-format series and was a much-needed confidence boost. Trailing 4-2 on points after a 2-1 defeat in the T20I leg, an under-pressure Australia were rocked ahead of the match by the news that Ellyse Perry and quick Kim Garth will miss the three-game ODI series with quad strains.
But Healy's return proved vital with her composure in the field and at the crease helping Australia start the ODI leg on a winning note.
Megan Schutt, a late inclusion into the squad, set the tone with the ball as Australia dismissed India for 214 in the 49th over. She claimed 2 for 42 from nine overs while Ashleigh Gardner finished with 3 for 33 from seven overs to lead a disciplined attack where six bowlers took wickets.
Legspinner Alana King and Tahlia McGrath claimed a wicket apiece in their returns after being overlooked for the T20I series.
The 215-run target loomed as tricky but Healy anchored the chase with 50 off 70 balls before Beth Mooney smashed 76 off 79 balls as Australia eased to the finish line in the 39th over.
India's seamers could not quite exploit the seaming conditions as effectively as their Australian counterparts although they bowled without luck. In what proved to be a key moment, Renuka Singh was left exasperated when a tight lbw review did not go in her favour when Healy was on 12.
Healy had started with a bang with a beautiful straight drive off Renuka that motored to the boundary in a glorious way to open her account. She then struggled with her fluency and showed some rust having only recently returned to the field with New South Wales in the WNCL.
Healy on several occasions almost holed out on the legside but she was never flustered in an impressive return to international cricket since Australia's shock defeat to India in last year's World Cup semi-final.
Healy enjoyed a half-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield, who sped past her and motored to 32 off as many balls before being sharply stumped by Richa Ghosh in left-arm spinner Shree Charani's opening over.
Charani was on a hat-trick when Georgia Voll, who was likely to not be selected in Australia's XI if Perry was fit, chipped tamely to cover. She could not complete a hat-trick and India's fightback was thwarted by a 64-run partnership between Healy and Mooney, who had earlier taken the gloves to become Australia's new full-time wicketkeeper.
Healy reached her half-century off 69 balls but fell on the very next delivery when she hit to backward point where Jemimah Rodrigues took a sharp catch above her head.
India's chances nosedived when Annabel Sutherland was dropped on 16 in a sitter by Kashvee Gautam at deep midwicket with Australia 152 for 3. Having passed 3000 ODI career runs, Mooney reached her half-century with a six and shared an 85-run partnership with Sutherland who sealed Australia's win in style with a six.
It was a disappointing return to the format for India since their unforgettable World Cup triumph and they now face an uphill battle in their quest to win a maiden ODI series against Australia.
In a concern for India, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur was unable to take the field during Australia's innings after sustaining an injury to her left knee while batting.
Earlier, Harmanpreet elected to bat after the coin fell in her favour for the fourth straight time in the multi-series and there was some surprise when she decided to bat amid overcast skies.
It was a decision that appeared to backfire when a pumped-up Schutt trapped Pratika Rawal lbw on the second ball of the match with a delivery that swung back wickedly.
It was a short-lived comeback for Rawal, who had made a quicker than expected return from knee and ankle injuries that cut short her World Cup. Rawal's inclusion meant that Shafali Verma shifted to No.3 having only opened the batting across her previous 31 ODIs.
But Shafali and Rodrigues, the hero in their semi-final chase for the ages, fell quickly as India slumped to 52 for 3.
Smriti Mandhana held India's top-order together with 58 off 68 balls before Harmanpreet rescued India from 103 for 5. She made 53 off 84 balls and shared a valuable 53-run seventh wicket partnership with Gautam, who was selected on the back of solid form in the WPL.
Gautam whacked the only three sixes of the innings during her career best 43 off 44 balls. But India's total ultimately proved not enough as Australia remarkably extended their perfect record at the Allan Border Field after their 21st straight win at the Brisbane ground.
