For the first time since March 2017, Australia hold the Border-Gavaskar Trophy – another marvellous achievement for Pat Cummins and his all-conquering team. It wasn’t always easy in Sydney, on a seam-friendly wicket where a flat track would have been welcome with Australia only needing a draw to claim the series. But the brilliance of Scott Boland with the ball and debutant Beau Webster with the bat, plus a crucial injury to Jasprit Bumrah, were enough for victory, with plenty of jitters overcome in a small but tough run chase to cruise to an eventually comfortable win.
It means a World Test Championship final date with South Africa is secured for the Aussies, while the 3-1 series win means Australia now hold every single Test trophy available to them – along with the World Cup. What a comeback after a nightmare in Perth to kick off the summer! Here are The Roar’s player ratings for the fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. More Cricket Australia Sam Konstas – 4 Has any player divided opinion two Tests into their career quite as much as Konstas? A pair of 20s at the SCG are about as good as any Australian opener has had it this summer, while his ultra-aggressive approach – including another reverse-ramp off Bumrah – succeeded in briefly knocking India’s quicks off their line in both innings.
But the manner of his dismissal on Day 3, wildly slogging across the line in a tight run-chase, will only add fuel to the growing chorus of calls for him to tone down .
