<p class="title">Indian cricketers are being hailed a once-in-a-generation side as the World Cup looms, capping off a "perfect finish" to their historic Australia tour with a maiden one-day international bilateral series victory.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Men in Blue will return home to India triumphant without having lost a Test or limited-overs series -- a first on Australian soil.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Test victory was India's first in 71 years of trying in Australia, a crowning achievement burnished by another historic first as the visitors clinched the ODI series 2-1 in Melbourne on Friday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India earlier drew a three-match Twenty20 showdown 1-1 after one match was washed out, ending the tour without losing a series in any format.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Perfect Finish To Dream Tour", declared the Mail Today daily on page one Saturday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"One-Day wonder Down Under", ran a front page headline in the weekend edition of one of the Indian dailies. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Captain Virat Kohli, riding on a high, is already looking ahead to the World Cup in May, confident his men have hit their stride as the coveted ODI cup looms.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We are feeling confident and balanced as a side with the World Cup in mind," the skipper said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"In all the three series we bounced back in different stages, and I think that builds team character ahead, especially when the World Cup is so near. If everyone contributes at different stages, it is then you win a big tournament."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The India side is being tipped as one of the best in years.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The teams that used to come here (to Australia), you can't compare those teams to this (one)," veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It has only happened twice in history that a visiting team has won a Test and ODI series in Australia."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar also praised their "nonchalant" confidence on foreign soil and pointed to "signs that they are setting themselves high standards" going forward.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Special praise was reserved for veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who defied critics to smash an unbeaten 87 and register his third straight ODI half-century.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 37-year-old had been accused by some of losing his lustre as a finisher but was named man of the series after driving India's tricky 231-run chase at the MCG.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar praised Dhoni on Twitter, saying he "once again played the role of the anchor beautifully!".</p>.<p class="bodytext">India now head to New Zealand for a limited-overs series, starting with the first of the five ODIs in Napier on January 23.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 50-over World Cup begins in England on May 30.</p>
<p class="title">Indian cricketers are being hailed a once-in-a-generation side as the World Cup looms, capping off a "perfect finish" to their historic Australia tour with a maiden one-day international bilateral series victory.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Men in Blue will return home to India triumphant without having lost a Test or limited-overs series -- a first on Australian soil.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Test victory was India's first in 71 years of trying in Australia, a crowning achievement burnished by another historic first as the visitors clinched the ODI series 2-1 in Melbourne on Friday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India earlier drew a three-match Twenty20 showdown 1-1 after one match was washed out, ending the tour without losing a series in any format.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Perfect Finish To Dream Tour", declared the Mail Today daily on page one Saturday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"One-Day wonder Down Under", ran a front page headline in the weekend edition of one of the Indian dailies. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Captain Virat Kohli, riding on a high, is already looking ahead to the World Cup in May, confident his men have hit their stride as the coveted ODI cup looms.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We are feeling confident and balanced as a side with the World Cup in mind," the skipper said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"In all the three series we bounced back in different stages, and I think that builds team character ahead, especially when the World Cup is so near. If everyone contributes at different stages, it is then you win a big tournament."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The India side is being tipped as one of the best in years.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The teams that used to come here (to Australia), you can't compare those teams to this (one)," veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It has only happened twice in history that a visiting team has won a Test and ODI series in Australia."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar also praised their "nonchalant" confidence on foreign soil and pointed to "signs that they are setting themselves high standards" going forward.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Special praise was reserved for veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who defied critics to smash an unbeaten 87 and register his third straight ODI half-century.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 37-year-old had been accused by some of losing his lustre as a finisher but was named man of the series after driving India's tricky 231-run chase at the MCG.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar praised Dhoni on Twitter, saying he "once again played the role of the anchor beautifully!".</p>.<p class="bodytext">India now head to New Zealand for a limited-overs series, starting with the first of the five ODIs in Napier on January 23.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 50-over World Cup begins in England on May 30.</p>