#AUSvIND-5thTEST-2024 : All-Round Australia Beat India By 6 Wickets And Win Series Emphatically 3-1

Picture : ICC/ X

Carrying on the momentum from Melbourne, Australia regained the BGT trophy after 2014-15 as they outplayed India in the fifth Test at Sydney by 6 wickets. Australia thus clinched the much hyped five- match Test series emphatically by a 3-1 margin .

Earlier , In a dramatic turn of events citing poor personal form India skipper Rohit Sharma opted out of the Test. Jasprit Bumrah Led India instead. Bumrah won the toss and opted to bat first.

India’s batting which has been under fire in the series struggled yet again. And once again the batting flopped to be bolwed out for mere 185. The scores of the batsmen said it all – Yashasvi Jaiswal ( 10) , K L Rahul ( 4), Shubman Gill ( 20). Superstar Virat Kohli out for the umpteenth same fashion for ( 17) . Dasher Rishabh Pant scored an uncharacteristic (40 ) , Ravindra Jadeja ( 26) . Centurion at Melbourne Nitish Reddy Out for ( 0) , Washington Sundar ( 14) ,Prasidh Krishna ( 3). Skipper Stand-in Jasprit Bumrah scored 22. Mohammed Siraj Not out 3 . India 185 / 10 .

Aussie bowlers were on target : Mitchell Starc 3/ 49 , Pat Cummins 2/ 37, Scott Boland was very impressive 4/ 31 , Nathan Lyon 1/ 19

In Reply , Australia lost early opener Usman Khawaja for (2) and soon Marnus Labuschagne for ( 2) . 19-year old Sam Konstas scored 23. Travis Head was out for ( 4) , Steve Smith put Australia back with 33 . Debutant Beau Webster made it dream with superb knock of 57 . Alex Carey chipped in with 21. Skipper Pat Cummins out for 10 . Mitchell Starc ( 1), Nathan Lyon (7) not out . Scott Boland was out for 9 . Australia bowled out for 181 . India managed a slender lead by 4 runs.

India bowling figures : Jasprit Bumrah 2/ 33 ( but had to go off the filed due to back spasms), Mohammed Siraj was wayward but got 3/ 51, Prasidh Krishna grabbed opportunity with both hands to bag 3/ 42, Nitish Reddy 2/ 32, Ravindra Jadeja 0/ 12

Asked to set Australia the target, India got off to a flier in the second Innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal hitting four fours in Mitchell Starc’s first over . But Jaiswal soon feel for 22 bowled by Scott Boland. KL Rahul ( 13), Shubman Gill ( 13). Virat Kohli fell the way he had been right through the series for ( 6). Rishabh Pant gave the cheer moments with a blistering 61 off 33 balls . Ravindra Jadeja ( 13). Nitish Reddy ( 4) , Washington Sundar ( 12) , Mohammed Siraj ( 4) , Jasprit Bumrah ( 0), Prasidh Krishna not out 1. India ll- out for 157 . Setting Australia a target of 162

Aussie bowling figures : Pat Cummins 3/ 44 , Mitchell Starc 0/ 36 , Scott Boland outstanding 6/ 46 , Beau Webster 1/ 24

Chasing 162, Australia were in a hurry and in the process lost four wickets. But they were confident with plenty of time at their disposal . It was only day three of the SCG Test. Sam Konstas ( 22), Usman Khwaja ( 41) , Marnus Labuschagne ( 6), Steve Smith ( 4) . India hoped for miracle but it was not to be . Travis Head not out 34 , Beau Webster ( fantastic debut with runs, wickets, catches ) not out 39 including the winning shot for 4 finished the match in style. Australia 162/ 4 . The delight in the Aussie dressing room was all evident

India without Bumrah tried hard. But the batting let them yet again. Mohammed Siraj 1/ 69 , Prasidh Krishna 3/ 65, Nitish Reddy 0/ 10, Washington Sundar 0/11.

Australia 3-1 ( remarkable after they lost the first Test at Perth by  295 runs)  win means they will now take on  South Africa  in the WTC 2025  final at Lords on June 11.