Travis Head proved he is a "champion player" with his decisive Cricket World Cup final innings against India, according to Madan Lal.

It looked like India were on course to record a brilliant World Cup triumph on home soil when they won every match en route to last week's final and then reduced Australia to 47-3 in their pursuit of 241.

But a pivotal 192-run partnership from opener Head and Marnus Labuschagne slowly took the game away from India and quietened the home crowd as the Aussies claimed a record-extending sixth World Cup.

Head remained at the crease until the final over, scoring 137 from 120 balls, with 15 fours and four maximums.

Ex-India captain Madan Lal, who won the Cricket World Cup in 1983, was most impressed by how Head was able to manage the situation before moving up the gears as he recorded the second-highest score by an opener in a men's final, after compatriot Adam Gilchrist's 149 in 2007.

"Travis Head's innings was one of the best I've seen in a World Cup – and I have watched a lot of World Cups, I played in two World Cups," Madan Lal said to Stats Perform. 

"But any innings under pressure, when you score 137 and your team wins, it’s always going to be very high in my mind. 

"He didn't panic. Normally, he's a player who hits the ball, he hits every ball. But he altered his game according to the situation of the game, according to the scoreboard. 

"He played like a champion, a champion player."

Head is in the Australia squad for a five-match T20I series between the teams which begins in Vishakhapatnam on Thursday as the gruelling international cricket calendar continues.

Pat Cummins, meanwhile, is rested for the T20 series after winning praise for his captaincy in the tournament.

He was the first skipper to triumph in a World Cup final after winning the toss since 2007, with his decision to put India in to bat paying off spectacularly. 

Madan Lal added: "All the credit must go to Pat Cummins because of his leadership quality. 

"He's also a wonderful person, because if you look at him when he's playing the game, I've never seen him getting angry or getting upset with someone.

"The calmness is there and that is why I think I rate him, because you have to control that situation, that is very, very important for the leader. A leader like Pat Cummins respects all the players and all the players respect him."

When Australia reached the final, Madan Lal knew India had a huge challenge despite the hosts' fine form throughout the tournament. 

He added: "If you look at Australia's performances in the World Cup, we are always going to rank them very, very highly, as the number one team. 

"They know how to do it because Australia has a sporting culture. They never give up. They are always trying something. And the other thing which I like about them is that they enjoy the game. 

"You cannot win nine games on the trot after losing the first couple of games. Only this type of Australian team can do it. You can never, ever take an Australian easily, because when Australia reached the final, everybody in India knew that they were going to be a tough match.

"When Ricky Ponting was captain, that team was very, very good, but this team is also good. See, the captain is only good when the team is good, and you can produce the result.

"They have won the World Test Championship, now they've won the World Cup. That's where you have to appreciate this team. They produced the result and that's what matters."