Australia beat India by six wickets to win series 3-1

SYDNEY: Australia held their nerve to chase down their victory target of 162 after lunch on the third day of the fifth Test on Sunday, beating India by six wickets for a 3-1 series win and reclaiming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade.

Travis Head, who was 34 not out, and debutant Beau Webster, unbeaten on 39, got Australia over the line to also secure the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s in June.

“It’s unreal, it’s been an amazing series,” said Australia skipper 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.”

India captain Jasprit Bumrah was unable to bowl on Sunday because of 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 batters.

The match had been played on fast forward over the first two days with 15 wickets falling on Saturday, and Australia removed four more in the first hour on Sunday morning to dismiss India for 157.

The track retained some spice, and Krishna stood up in Bumrah’s stead and sent back opener Sam Konstas for 22, Marnus Labuschagne for six and Steve Smith for four before lunch.

Smith trudged off, head bowed, on 9,999 career runs, and was followed soon after the break by Usman Khawaja, who was caught behind off Siraj for 41 to leave Australia on 104-4.

The end of a topsy-turvy Test, where the momentum had shifted by the over, came almost as an anti-climax for another big crowd bathing in the sunshine at Sydney Cricket Ground.

Bumrah absent for India as wickets tumble in Sydney

Head and Webster got the job done with an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 58, the latter continuing his nerveless debut by clubbing the winning runs with a straight four.

“It was a little frustrating but sometimes you have to respect your body,” said Bumrah, who was named Player of the Series for his 32 wickets over the five matches.

“It was a great series. The whole series was well fought and we were still in the match today. Our young players will take a lot of learnings for the future.”

Australia’s Scott Boland, playing for the second straight Test as an injury replacement for Josh Hazlewood, was named Player of the Match after finishing with figures of 6-45 for a 10-wicket match haul.

“To win 3-1 against India hasn’t been done for a while and it’s just awesome,” said Boland.