Sun Jan 05 07:52:47 UTC 2025: ## Australia Wins Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Ends Decade-Long Drought
**Sydney, Australia** – Australia clinched the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a 3-1 series victory over India on January 5th, ending a decade-long drought. This is their first Border-Gavaskar Trophy win since 2014-15, dashing India’s hopes of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) final. The WTC final will now be contested between Australia and South Africa at Lord’s in June 2025.
The final test in Sydney concluded swiftly, lasting less than three days. Australia chased down a 162-run target, losing only four wickets in the process. Travis Head (34*) and Beau Webster (39*) steered the team home, with Usman Khawaja also contributing a valuable 42 runs. For India, Prasidh Krishna took three wickets, while Mohammed Siraj claimed one. The absence of Jasprit Bumrah due to injury proved a significant blow to India’s bowling attack.
India’s first innings ended at a relatively low 185 runs, with Rishabh Pant’s 61 being the highest score. Scott Boland starred with the ball, taking 6 wickets. Australia’s first innings reached 181, setting up a challenging but ultimately achievable target for the Australians. India’s second innings, which concluded early on day three, yielded a 161-run lead after being bowled out for 157.
The thrilling chase saw Australia navigate some early pressure, losing wickets at regular intervals before Head and Webster stabilized the innings and guided their team to victory. Australia’s decisive win not only secures the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but also eliminates India from contention for the WTC final.
First Piper 