Australia (Commonwealth) _ In the fifth and final Border-Gavaskar Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Australia defeated India by a commanding six wickets to secure their place in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final. India’s aspirations of making it to the WTC Final at Lord’s in June were dashed with the victory, which also guaranteed Australia‘s dominance of the series.
Under pressure, India, who needed a victory to remain in the running, crumbled. In the absence of their series-leading wicket-taker, Jasprit Bumrah, the visitors found it difficult to hold off a modest 162-run target in the fourth innings. Beau Webster, Travis Head, and Usman Khawaja (41), who all contributed, helped Australia chase it down on a challenging surface.
With the victory, Australia’s points percentage increased to 63.73 percent, ensuring their spot in the Final, where they will take on South Africa, led by Temba Bavuma. Earlier in the cycle, the Proteas defeated Pakistan by two wickets in the Boxing Day Test, solidifying their qualification.
However, India failed to qualify for consecutive WTC Finals, finishing with just 50 percent of the attainable points. In the fifth Test of their five-match series, Australia defeated India by six wickets and regained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in ten years.
After lunch on the third day of the final Test match in Sydney on Sunday, the hosts maintained their composure to chase down their victory goal of 162, causing their camp to celebrate wildly as they also guaranteed a berth in the June World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s.
Beau Webster, who was undefeated at 39, and Travis Head, who was 34 not out, brought the series to a triumphant conclusion. Shortly after the victory, Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, remarked, “It’s unbelievable, it’s been an incredible series.”
“It felt like it was kind of seesawing throughout the entire series, so it’s an amazing feeling to finish it 3-1 and hold the trophy,” he continued. “I love playing with these guys, and it’s been a lot of fun along the way. I’m really proud of them.”
Due to a back injury, India skipper Jasprit Bumrah was unable to bowl in Australia’s second innings. However, by dismissing four of Australia’s top-order batsmen, quick bowlers Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj kept the game close.
Fast-forwarding the first two days of the match, Australia took 15 wickets on Saturday and four more in the first hour of Sunday morning to bowl out India for 157.
Before lunch, Krishna took Bumrah’s place and dismissed opener Sam Konstas for 22, Marnus Labuschagne for six, and Steve Smith for four. The track still had some zing.
With his head down, Smith plodded off after scoring 9,999 runs in his career.
Soon after the break, Usman Khawaja, who had been caught behind off Siraj for 41 to leave Australia on 104-4, joined Smith as he plodded off with his head lowered on 9,999 career runs.
Another large crowd enjoying the sunlight at Sydney Cricket Ground was nearly let down by the conclusion of a wild Test match in which the momentum had changed by the end of the over.
With an uninterrupted fifth-wicket partnership of 58, Head and Webster completed the task; Webster continued his unafraid debut by smashing the winning runs with a straight four.
Bumrah, who took 32 wickets in the five games and was voted Player of the Series, said, “It was a little frustrating, but sometimes you have to respect your body.” Since most of the Australian team has been together for years, many of them have never been able to defeat India.
The team that participated in their most recent series victory over their adversaries ten years ago consisted solely of Smith, Nathan Lyon, and Mitchell Starc. Cummins won his 20th game as captain.
Australia made three debuts during the series: all-rounder Beau Webster in the fifth Test, Sam Konstas, who took his position after the first three Tests, and opener Nathan McSweeney, who was fired after the first three Tests.
The Proteas ended their final qualifying run with a thrilling two-wicket victory over Pakistan in their Boxing Day Test, and Pat Cummins’ team will be facing Temba Bavuma’s South Africa on the sacred soil starting on June 11.
Neither team will make an affect for Sri Lanka, who will host Australia in a two-Test series in Galle starting in late January, as two finalists are already confirmed by ICC.
