AUS vs IND 2024/25, AUS vs IND 5th Test Match Report, January 03 - 05, 2025

Australia 181 (Webster 57, Prasidh 3-42, Siraj 3-51) and 162 for 4 (Khawaja 41, Webster 39*, Head 34*, Prasidh 3-65) beat India 185 (Pant 40, Boland 4-31, Starc 3-49) and 157 (Pant 61, Boland 6-45, Cummins 3-44) by six wickets

Australia regained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the silverware that had eluded them for a decade, and confirmed their spot within the World Take a look at Championship (WTC) remaining alongside South Africa, after ending off India inside three days on the SCG.

India’s hopes of staying in rivalry for the WTC remaining rested on Jasprit Bumrah, however with out him these pale away. For somebody who had an enormous affect on this sequence, with essentially the most wickets by an India bowler on a tour of Australia, it was a disgrace he could not play an element within the remaining act, although he had nonetheless performed sufficient to be the Participant of the Sequence.

After having left the SCG on the second day for scans on his again, Bumrah returned to bat at No. 11 on the third day however wasn’t match to bowl. All of the early visuals had portended Bumrah’s absence. He did not heat up with the opposite bowlers and solely did a little bit of shadow-bowling. Then, after changing into the final India batter to be dismissed, for a duck, he did not take the sphere in any respect for India’s defence of 161. Given his historical past of again points, India needed to wrap him in cotton wool.

The goal was a considerable one for Australia, particularly on this spicy SCG floor, however it did seem an entire lot smaller when Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna sprayed the brand new ball round. The pair conceded 12 runs by way of wides and byes down the leg aspect within the first two overs. Although Prasidh tightened up and took three wickets, together with that of Steven Smith, Bumrah’s absence hung like Coleridge’s albatross round India’s neck.

The batters did not make it any simpler for India’s depleted assault. They misplaced 4 for 16 in 7.5 overs on the third morning to fold for 157. Scott Boland, who may not have performed this sequence had Josh Hazlewood been match and may not be a certainty for Australia’s subsequent Take a look at project in Sri Lanka, bagged his first ten-wicket haul in skilled cricket to hasten India’s collapse. Having taken 4 wickets on the opening day on the SCG, Boland added six to his tally – his second five-for in Take a look at cricket since his 6 for 7 on debut, which was simply as superb.

Scott Boland celebrates his match haul of 10 wickets, Australia vs India, 5th Test, Sydney, Day 3, January 5, 2024

Scott Boland celebrates his match haul of ten wickets•Getty Pictures

Boland had began the day with a maiden and continued to stalk each the perimeters by hitting an ideal size. He had Siraj caught at first slip and castled Bumrah within the fortieth over to wrap up India’s innings. Boland then, fittingly, held the ball aloft and led Australia off the sphere, with the SCG crowd giving him a rousing reception.

His captain Cummins had earlier accounted for Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. Jadeja had been dropped by Smith within the slips on 6 on day two, however it value Australia simply seven runs, with Cummins going a lot fuller to kiss Jadeja’s outdoors edge. He then nipped one via Washington’s gate to show India’s tail to Boland.

Australia capitalised on the wayward new-ball bowling from Siraj and Krishna, working away to 39 for no loss within the fourth over. Prasidh supplied India with the breakthrough when he had Sam Konstas miscuing a slog to mid-off for 22 off 17 balls.

After the second day’s play, Prasidh spoke of how he shifted from his inventory again of a size plan to a a lot fuller one after a chat with the analyst. Nonetheless, on Sunday, with the tougher, newer ball, he gleaned extra bounce and seam motion together with his pure size. After smacking Marnus Labuschagne on his elbow, Prasidh had him steering a catch to gully.

For the second time in two days, greater than 40,000 followers on the SCG had been poised to rejoice Smith scaling 10,000 Take a look at runs, however Prasidh had different concepts and snared him one shy of the landmark with a prancing supply. Smith will now have to attend till the primary Take a look at towards Sri Lanka in Galle later this month for his subsequent alternative to turn into the fifteenth Take a look at batter within the 10,000 membership.

India needed to wait till after lunch to eliminate Usman Khawaja. The opener misjudged Siraj’s size, bottom-edging a pull to Pant for 41 off 45 balls. India felt that they had been on to one thing after that. Siraj roared whereas Virat Kohli, who stood in as captain, charged in direction of his bowler from the slips and animatedly pumped his fist.

Beau Webster, the debutant, roars after hitting the winning runs, Australia vs India, 5th Test, Sydney, 3rd day, January 5, 2024

Beau Webster, the debutant, roars after hitting the successful runs•Getty Pictures

Travis Head and debutant Beau Webster, nonetheless, modified the temper and the sport rapidly. When Nitish Kumar Reddy supplied up a large half-volley in his first over, Head stayed leg aspect of the ball and unleashed a rasping blow via the covers. On the different finish, Webster was much less adventurous, however nonetheless scored at a quick clip, because of his lengthy attain, which messed with the lengths of the bowlers.

Webster, who had made his first-class debut again in 2014, might need questioned if his time on the high degree would ever come. When it lastly did, the 31-year-old made it a memorable one. He top-scored for Australia with 57 of their first innings – solely Pant scored extra runs than him – and dismissed Shubman Gill to go together with some glorious catching within the slips.

On Sunday, Webster struck an unbeaten 39 off 34 balls and supplied the coup de grâce when he stepped out to Washington and pumped him straight of mid-off for 4. Australia chased down 162 in 27 overs.

Prasidh and Siraj bowled 24 of the primary 25 overs within the chase. Their solely respite – moreover a lunch break – got here when Australia had been three hits away from victory. Jadeja did not bowl in any respect within the remaining innings whereas Washington bowled only one over. Whereas Australia had immense depth of their assault, India lacked it and Bumrah’s absence solely compounded their troubled tour of Australia.