In the New Year’s Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Sunday, January 5, Australia triumphed by six wickets and won the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy 3-1. After a decade, the World Test Champions regained the treasured trophy after winning the match in the second session on Day 3.
India had an awful batting performance earlier in the day, losing their final four wickets and adding only 16 runs to their overnight total. After Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar were removed by Australian captain Pat Cummins, Scott Boland easily dispatched the tailenders. Boland added his four-for in the first innings to end with outstanding figures of 6/45. Pat Cummins made a contribution with three wickets in the interim.
After increasing their lead to 161 runs in the second inning, the tourists were bowled out for 157. Sam Konstas got Australia off to a great start as they chased the challenging aim. In just 3.5 overs, the kid struck a scorching 22 and combined 39 runs with Usman Khawaja. Playing a careless stroke against Prasidh Krishna, Konstas was dismissed.
To preserve India’s hopes, the Karnataka bowler proceeded to take the wickets of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne in the opening session. After lunch, though, Australia devised a far more effective strategy to stop Krishna and company. Jasprit Bumrah, who watched from the dressing room due to injury, was a major handicap for India.
Following lunch, Khawaja scored a 45-ball 41 and was removed by Mohammed Siraj. Australia was in a critical position at 58/3 when Travis Head, who ended up being the series’ highest run scorer, walked out to bat. In order to lead his team home, he added partnerships with Beau Webster and Usman Khawaja of 46 and 58*, respectively. Webster stayed undefeated with 39 from 34 deliveries, while Head finished undefeated at 34 off 38 balls.
Here’s how ‘X’ users reacted to Australia’s win at SCG:
Batting averages after Test debut
Ricky Ponting – 96
Beau Webster – 96 pic.twitter.com/bR8D4c8wns— Tom Decent (@tomdecent) January 5, 2025
This kid Beau Webster might well be the most fundamentally correct batsman that Australia has debuted in a long time … Such a pleasure to watch a batsman respect the basics like this bloke obviously does … Where’s he been all this time?
— Phil Gould (@PhilGould15) January 5, 2025
Pat Cummins after 1st Test – We’re No.1 Ranked team, and this week doesn’t change that.
Pat Cummins after 40 days – won the BGT 3-1 and picked 25 wickets with 159 runs in the series.
– The Captain Leading from the front 👏🏻 with B2B WTC Finals.#INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/FSgbQK0Qab
— Richard Kettleborough (@RichKettle07) January 5, 2025
Pat Cummins 🗿 pic.twitter.com/sNYb4kWQAd
— कृष्णा 🥀 (@iiamkrshn) January 5, 2025
Coming for another Wtc under Sir Pat cummins era 🦁 pic.twitter.com/Dnfco2Ryow
— harshh (@harshiniiii_) January 5, 2025
man of the match vidya balan man of the series bumrah manikchand favourite jodi of the year kohli-konstas bajaj lifetime achievement rohit favourite dialogue stupid stupid by gavaskar and that’s it from australia
— vishal dayama (@VishalDayama) January 5, 2025
India’s batters just didn’t score enough runs to challenge Australia and so 3-1 is a fair result. Lots of issues to resolve. The form of the senior batters, the over-reliance on Bumrah……
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 5, 2025
The moment Australia won BGT: pic.twitter.com/gOvrGnnF6x
— Johns (@JohnyBravo183) January 5, 2025
For the first time in a decade, Australia beat India in a Test match series, and with it…
They regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy! pic.twitter.com/N4qZpkeADz
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 5, 2025
It will be unfair to not appreciate the giant effort put on the field by @Jaspritbumrah93 … he gave it his all !!
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) January 5, 2025
India
