Australia beat India to bring back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and enter the finals of the WTC | Cricket news
Australia beat India by six wickets in the fifth Test of their five-match series to bring back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade.
The hosts had the guts to chase down their victory target of 162 after lunch on the third day of the final Test in Sydney on Sunday, sparking wild celebrations in their camp as they also secured a place in the World Test Cup final against South Africa at Lord’s in June.
Travis Head, not out on 34, and debutant Beau Webster, unbeaten on 39, got their team over the line to end the series on a high.
“It’s unreal, it’s been an unbelievable series,” Australian captain Pat Cummins said shortly after the win.
“It seemed like it was kind of a see-saw throughout the whole series so to finish it 3-1, to hold the trophy, it’s an amazing feeling,” he added.
“I’m extremely proud, I absolutely love playing with these guys and it’s been a lot of fun along the way.”
India captain Jasprit Bumrah was unable to bowl in the second innings for Australia due to a back problem, but fellow bowlers Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj kept the match on edge removing Australia’s top four batsmen.
The match was played on fast forward for the first two days with 15 wickets on Saturday and Australia eliminating four more in the first hour on Sunday morning to dismiss India for 157.
The track retained some spice and Krishna stood up for Bumrah to send back Sam Konstas for 22, Marnus Labuschagne for six and Steve Smith for four before lunch.
Smith raced, head down, to 9999 career runs, followed soon after the break by Usman Khawaja, who fell behind Siraja for 41 to leave Australia 104-4.
The topsy-turvy end to the Test, where the momentum shifted after the end, came almost as an anticlimax for another big sun-bathing crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Head and Webster did the job with an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 58, the latter continuing his nervy-free debut with the club’s winning streak with four in a row.
“It was a bit frustrating but sometimes you have to respect your body,” said Bumrah, who was named player of the series for his 32 wickets in five matches.
“It was a great series. The whole series was a battle and today we were in the game. Our young players will learn a lot for the future.”
Most of the Australian team has been together for years, and a win over India has remained an elusive goal for many.
Only Smith, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc were part of the side that played in the last series win over their rivals ten years ago.
It was Cummins’ 20th win as captain.
“It’s one that a few of us haven’t had. The guys got their eye on it and it lived up to the hype.
“We’ve spent a lot of time together as a group over the years, so we knew we weren’t the best in Perth.
“But it was never as bad as it seems. So hang tight and double down on what makes us a really good side.”
Australia shared three debuts during the series – opener Nathan McSweeney who was dropped after the first three Tests, the man who replaced him, Sam Konstas, and all-rounder Beau Webster in the fifth Test.
They also relied heavily on stalwarts like Smith, Starc and Head.
“It’s always nice to have a team,” Cummins said.
“The three debutants in this series have fitted in well. They contributed at different times.
“There were some key moments when our mainstays really stood up. You have to do that to beat a side like India.”
Ready to defend your World Test Championship mace 👊
Australia qualified for #WTC25 Final at Lord’s 🏏
More 👉 https://t.co/EanY9jFouE pic.twitter.com/xcpTrBOsB8
— ICC (@ICC) January 5, 2025
