Border-Gavaskar Trophy | In Indore, we doubled down on what we'd set out to achieve initially: Andrew McDonald

Australia fought back strongly to claim the third match on an Indore pitch that offered vicious turn and variable bounce.

Australia head coach Andrew McDonald has admitted that visiting teams need to be "near perfect" to challenge India in their own backyard, something they sought in Indore by "doubling down" on what they had set out to achieve initially.

Hammered by the hosts inside three days in the first two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar trophy, Australia fought back strongly to claim the third match on an Indore pitch that offered vicious turn and variable bounce.

"You have almost got to be near perfect against India in India. I think this game (Indore Test) besides that 6 for 11 was near perfect," McDonald was quoted as saying 'ESPNcricinfo'.

According to McDonald, the team's success in the Indore Test showed there is a core group of players who are learning what it takes to win in the subcontinent and can help the side taste greater success in the future.

"Everyone's journey starts at some point in time on the subcontinent, and I think there's a core group of players that will come back here more experienced and, in theory, better equipped for the challenges.

"We're talking about a series here where we've had certain conditions that probably aren't relatable to any other subcontinent tour over time, so it's always a different challenge when you do arrive here." He said Australia lost the chance to retain the trophy due to one hour of chaos in the second Test in Delhi.

However, on a pitch rated "poor" by the ICC, the visitors rode on star off-spinner Nathan Lyon's 11-wicket match haul to humble the visitors by nine wickets and confirm their place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.