Australia wins Border-Gavaskar Trophy after 10 years with a brilliant victory, defeating India 3-1

Australia wins Border-Gavaskar Trophy after 10 years with a brilliant victory, defeating India 3-1

Sydney, January 5, 2025: Australia defeated India by 6 wickets in the fifth Test of the five-match series, winning back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade.

Australia chased down a target of 162 runs after the first session of Day 3 in the final Test in Sydney, sparking wild celebrations in their camp. With this victory, they also secured a spot in the World Test Championship final, where they will face South Africa at Lord's in June. Travis Head, who was unbeaten on 34, and debutant Beau Webster, unbeaten on 39, saw their team home to victory.

Australian captain Pat Cummins said after the win, "It’s unreal, it’s been an amazing series. It felt like the series was swinging back and forth, so to finish it 3-1, to hold the trophy, is an amazing feeling."

India captain Jasprit Bumrah was unable to bowl in Australia's second innings due to a back issue, but his fellow pace bowlers Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj kept the match on a knife-edge by removing four top-order Australian batsmen.

The match had been played at a fast pace over the first two days, with 15 wickets falling on Saturday, and on Sunday morning, Australia dismissed India for 157. Krishna, standing in for Bumrah, removed opener Sam Konstas for 22, Marnus Labuschagne for 6, and Steve Smith for 4 before lunch.

Although the end of the match was a bit anticlimactic, Head and Webster secured the victory with an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 58, with Webster hitting a straight four to clinch the win.

Bumrah said, "It’s unfortunate, but sometimes you have to respect your body." He was named Player of the Series for his 32 wickets over the five matches.

Australia's core team has been playing together for years, and beating India was a long-term goal for many of them. Under Cummins’ captaincy, Australia has now succeeded, marking his 20th win as captain.

Cummins added, "This is one that a few of us didn’t have. But we’re thrilled to have achieved it. We’ve spent a lot of time together as a group, and we knew we weren’t at our best in Perth, but it’s never as bad as it seems."