Australia has reclaimed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a dominant 3-1 Test series victory over India, marking their first series win against their rivals since 2015. The triumph also secures their spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord’s in June.
Australia Seals Sydney Victory on Day Three
The Baggy Greens defeated India by six wickets in the final Test at the SCG, chasing a modest target of 162 runs on the third day. Despite a scare at 58-3, Travis Head (34 not out) and Beau Webster (39 not out) guided Australia home with an unbeaten partnership, sealing the match and series.
India’s second innings ended swiftly on Sunday morning as they added just 16 runs to their overnight total of 141-6. Scott Boland starred with the ball, taking 6-45, completing a remarkable 10-wicket haul in the match after his 4-31 in the first innings.
India’s Fight Falls Short
India gave the hosts a brief scare. Despite losing Jasprit Bumrah to injury, India’s bowlers fought hard. Prasidh Krishna removed Sam Konstas (22) and then dismissed Marnus Labuschagne (6) and Steve Smith (4), leaving Smith tantalizingly short of 10,000 Test runs. However, Usman Khawaja (41) steadied the innings before Head and Webster finished the job.
Webster hit the winning runs off Washington Sundar, marking a memorable series win for the hosts.
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Australia Eye WTC Title Defense
With this series win, Australia secures a spot in the WTC final at Lord’s on June 11, where they’ll face South Africa. The Aussies are looking to defend their title after winning the inaugural championship against India in 2023.
India’s hopes of reaching a third consecutive WTC final have ended. Their next Test assignment is against England at Headingley from June 20, kicking off a five-match series.
Cummins Hails Team Effort
Pat Cummins, Australia’s captain, praised his team’s resilience after bouncing back from a 295-run defeat in the first Test in Perth to secure the series. Victories in Adelaide and Melbourne, combined with a rain-affected draw in Brisbane, sealed the series.
“It was a seesawing series, so to finish 3-1 and regain the trophy is amazing,” said Cummins. “Securing a spot in the WTC final was a huge goal, and we’re really satisfied.”
He also highlighted the squad’s depth and consistency over recent years, saying, “Test cricket challenges you in so many ways. You need an amazing squad and support staff to succeed worldwide. This consistency has been massive for us.”