Indian team is seen on day 3 of the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney on January 5, 2025. India are out of the World Test Championship final and also lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia. Australia entered their second WTC final.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Australia defeated India by six wickets on Sunday (January 5, 2025). With this win the Australian team has regained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after a gap of 10 years.

With this 1-3, India are out of the World Test Championship final. India was the only team to have played the last two WTC finals. India had lost both the finals against New Zealand and Australia respectively.

India started the latest series on a strong note with an emphatic victory at Perth, but Australia bounced back strongly to level the series at Adelaide. Australia took a 2-1 lead in the fourth Test at Melbourne and defeated India in the final Test.

This win has also enabled Australia to enter their second successive World Test Championship final to be played at Lords in June. They will be up against South Africa.

Rishabh Pant reacts while batting on day 1 of the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney on January 3, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

Having dealt with a gruesome car accident, a red cherry hurtling into his body is perhaps the least of Rishabh Pant’s worries. He battled hard against the Australian attack and was India’s top-scorer with a 40 in the fifth Test that began at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday (January 3, 2025).

Struck eight times on his torso, Pant competed hard and was one of the bright spots in a dreary Indian first innings. Reacting to the tough outing, he said: “Definitely it’s painful but sometimes you have to do the hard work for the team and that’s okay. I was not thinking about where I got hit but just played the ball to the best of my abilities.” Later he added: “I think this is the first time I have been hit so much.”

Being in proximity when Jasprit Bumrah and Sam Konstas exchanged words, Pant explained: “They wanted to waste some time. I feel that’s the reason. He had a conversation with Jassi (Bumrah). He said something. I didn’t hear. He wanted to waste some time so we don’t bowl one more over.”

Queried about his pitch-impressions, Pant replied: “It was a little bit tough pitch. The ball was doing off the wicket quite a bit. I wouldn’t say 185 is a par-score. But I think anything over 220-250 would be a par-score, but still a very competitive score because the way the ball is moving, there is a lot of help for the bowlers.”

And on the Washington Sundar dismissal, Pant said: “I feel whatever decision we make on the field, it has to stay with the on-field umpire. Until and unless it’s (evidence) so conclusive to change the decision, I think we should stay with the on-field umpire. Technology can be a little better I guess.”

Touch of emotion, says Pant

Rishabh Pant admitted to a touch of emotion within the ranks when news about Rohit Sharma missing the fifth Test spread. “He is our captain and obviously there will be some emotion. As for the decision, it was a management call so I was not part of that conversation so I can’t explain anything other than that,” Pant told the media here on Friday.

Asked for his inputs on Jasprit Bumrah as captain, Pant said: “Mostly his message is be positive all the time and don’t think about what has already happened, just give your best on the field. That’s what you want from your captain.”

Australia’s Beau Webster who bowled tight spells reacts on day 1 of the fifth Test against India in Sydney on January 3, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Beau Webster turned up at the press conference with a swagger belying a debutant’s nerves. But then he is 31 and has played a decade of first-class cricket. Hailing from Tasmania, the land of David Boon and Ricky Ponting, Webster has some history to inspire him further.

He did well in the fifth Test that commenced at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday (January 3, 2025).. He plucked two fine catches, bowled tight spells and saw a probable maiden Test wicket being dropped. Webster, though, seemed unfazed: “It was good to have my family here and to get the cap from Junior (Mark Waugh). Got some catches and that settled the nerves.”

Asked about the pitch, the Australian all-rounder quipped: “It seamed around all day and at times it was a bit difficult to control the seam. Would 185 (India’s total) be ideal, I don’t know what would be a competitive score. With (Jasprit) Bumrah around, it would be challenging for the batters tomorrow.”

Probed on the fiery climax of day one with Bumrah, Sam Konstas and Indian fielders involved in a tense exchange, Webster said: “Ah, we were at the change-room, and we saw him (Konstas) hit Bumrah over mid-wicket for four. It is no longer a surprise and we were like okay ‘so he is up and away’. The youngsters these days! He loves to have a chat.”