Australia concludes a decade-long wait for a series victory against India.

Australia concludes a decade-long wait for a series victory against India.

Australia demonstrated remarkable composure to secure a thrilling five-test series victory against India, concluding with a score of 3-1 on Sunday, thereby reclaiming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in ten years. 

The series was characterized by fluctuating momentum, and the fifth test remained intensely competitive until the final hour, when Australia achieved a six-wicket victory. The absence of Jasprit Bumrah, who was sidelined due to a back injury, may have contributed to Australia's success, as Travis Head and debutant Beau Webster successfully chased down the target of 162 runs with an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 58 runs. This victory, celebrated in front of a full crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground adorned in pink for Glenn McGrath's cancer charity, also secured Australia's position to defend their World Test Championship title against South Africa at Lord's in June.

"It felt like it was kind of seesawing throughout the whole series so to finish it 3-1, to hold the trophy, is an amazing feeling," remarked Australia captain Pat Cummins. "I'm immensely proud, I absolutely love playing with these guys and it's been a lot of fun along the way as well." 

The match unfolded rapidly over the first two days, with 15 wickets falling on Saturday. Australia continued their aggressive approach by dismissing four more Indian batsmen within the first hour on a sunny Sunday morning, ultimately bowling India out for 157. 

In the absence of Player of the Series Bumrah, fellow pace bowlers Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj kept the Australian team on edge by taking out four top-order batsmen on a challenging pitch. Krishna dismissed opener Sam Konstas for 22, Marnus Labuschagne for six, and Steve Smith for four before lunch, while Usman Khawaja was caught behind off Siraj for 41 after the break, leaving Australia at 104-4. Smith's dismissal was particularly disappointing as he returned to the dressing room with a total of 9,999 career runs, falling just short of becoming the fourth Australian to surpass the 10,000-run milestone.

Head, who finished with an unbeaten score of 34, and Webster, who remained not out on 39, successfully completed the task, with the latter demonstrating remarkable composure in his debut by striking the winning runs with a straight boundary. 

"It was somewhat frustrating, but at times, one must heed the signals from their body," remarked Bumrah, who claimed 32 wickets throughout the five-match series before experiencing back spasms on Saturday. "This series was exceptional. It was fiercely contested, and we were still in contention today. Our younger players will gain valuable insights for the future." Australia's triumph was particularly noteworthy given that it came on the heels of a 295-run defeat in the series opener in Perth.

BATTERS ON THE DEFENSIVE

According to Australia coach Andrew McDonald, the "generational" bowling prowess displayed by both teams placed the batters at a disadvantage for much of the series, resulting in a scarcity of high scores. Only five centuries were recorded, two of which were achieved by Head, with scores of 140 in Australia's victory during the day-night second test in Adelaide and 152 in the drawn third test in Brisbane.

The series appeared to signify the conclusion of an era for India, who had previously dominated Australia during their last two tours, having finally secured a victory Down Under in 2018-19. All-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement mid-series, and the out-of-form captain Rohit Sharma requested to be dropped for the fifth test, while Virat Kohli struggled to perform in what was likely his final test tour of Australia.

However, with Bumrah on the field, India had their standout player, and as long as he was bowling, their aspirations for a third consecutive victory in Australia to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for a fifth successive series remained intact. As England bowlers have learned through experience, competing in five tests in Australia is a formidable challenge, and the 31-year-old's extraordinary efforts ultimately took a toll on him in Sydney. In Rohit's absence, Bumrah had led the team to victory in the series opener in Perth, and the momentum seemed to favor India whenever he was bowling.Australia's 19-year-old opener, Sam Konstas, showcased his skills with aggressive ramp shots during his debut in Melbourne and engaged in verbal exchanges in Sydney, solidifying his position in Australia's strategy for the upcoming Ashes series. Steve Smith, who made his test debut when Konstas was just four years old, scored 140 runs in Australia's thrilling 184-run victory in Melbourne, likely securing his opportunity for one last contest against England later this year. Despite the impressive bowling talent throughout the series, it was Australian paceman Scott Boland, stepping in as a backup, who earned the Player of the Match title in Sydney, concluding with remarkable figures of 6-45 for a total of 10 wickets in the match.