India lost to Australia in the fifth Test match in Sydney© AFP
India’s dreams of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) Final were completely dashed after the Jasprit Bumrah-led side slumped to a six-wicket loss against Australia in the fifth Test encounter in Sydney on Sunday. Thanks to this victory, Australia clinched the five-match Test series 3-1 with previous wins coming in Adelaide and Melbourne. India won the first match in Perth while the third Test in Brisbane ended in a draw. India finished third with a PCT of 50.00 while Australia qualified for the WTC Final with 63.73. South Africa already booked their spot for the summit clash with a PCT of 66.67.
An out-of-sorts India was knocked out of the World Test Championship final as Australia cruised to a six-wicket victory in the fifth and final Test on Sunday to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after 10 years, leaving the visitors with several points to ponder in a difficult transition phase.
Australia won the five-match series 3-1 and also qualified for the World Test Championship final against South Africa slated at the Lord’s from June 11 to 15.
A target of 162 could have been trickier had new Test captain Jasprit Bumrah been in a position to bowl despite painful back spasms but once Virat Kohli led the team out, it was as clear as the Sydney skyline that defending the total would be next to impossible.
Bumrah deservedly claimed the player of the series honour for his 32 wickets in five matches but that was hardly a consolation for the shambolic team performance that India managed.
Prasidh Krishna (3/65 in 12 overs) and Mohammed Siraj (1/69 in 12 overs) were not a patch on Bumrah and despite multiple breakthroughs, they bowled too many poor deliveries to make it easy for the hosts to canter home in just 27 overs.
Usman Khawaja (41), Travis Head (34 not out) and debutant Beau Webster (39 not out) completed the formalities, putting an end to India’s misery in a tour that has exposed all of the team’s batting frailties and an unhealthy reliance on Bumrah.
Once Bumrah was ruled out after he tried some shadow bowling during the morning warm-up session and didn’t feel comfortable, the writing was on the wall.
The magnificent Scott Boland (6/45) and the ever-reliable Pat Cummins (3/44) polished off the Indian tail for just 157 in 39.5 overs. If one takes out Rishabh Pant’s fiesty 61 and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 22, the other nine players collectively contributed a mere 74 runs.
(With PTI inputs)
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