After almost nine years, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is finally back in Australian hands. Australia have booked their spot in another World Test Championship final – this time against South Africa – after sealing a famous 3-1 series win over India at the SCG on Sunday afternoon. A disastrous first-Test defeat in Perth forced Australia to ask hard questions of themselves and Pat Cummins’ men responded in emphatic and clinical fashion, going on to win three of the next four matches and consigning India to back-to-back series defeats.
It is the first time since the 1997 Ashes that Australia have won a Test series after going down in the first match. Australia last won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2014-15, a series remembered for Steve Smith’s prolific run-making, before giving it back to India in March 2017 following a 2-1 series loss away from home. For the first time since 2008, Australia now hold every major bilateral Test trophy, plus the ODI World Cup.
Australia chased down a moderate target of 162 for the loss of four wickets, thanks to important and unbeaten contributions from Travis Head (34 off 38 balls) and debutant Beau Webster (39 off 34 balls). In front of more than 42,000 fans, most wearing a touch of pink for Jane McGrath Day, Webster hit the winning runs down the ground before a mighty punch of the air in delight. Scott Boland’s maiden Test 10-wicket haul – he’d never before taken 10 in any first-class match – helped Australia snare 4-16 on the mo.
