Australia hold nerve to seal series victory over India and book World Test Championship final place
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Scott Boland ran through India’s lower order to finish with 10 wickets in the match and set up fifth Test victory. Australia held their nerve to chase down their victory target of 162 after lunch on the third day of the fifth Test in Sydney, beating India by six wickets for a 3-1 series win and reclaiming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade.
![[Beau Webster smashed the winning runs for Australia on Test debut]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/05/07/newFile-2.jpg)
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.
![[Scott Boland finished with 10 wickets in the match]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/05/07/newFile-3.jpg)
“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.
