Australia held their nerve to chase down their victory target of 162 after lunch on the third day of the fifth test on Sunday, beating India by six wickets for a 3-1 series win and reclaiming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade.
Travis Head, who was 34 not out, and debutant Beau Webster, unbeaten on 39, got Australia over the line to also secure the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s in June.
Fittingly, series leading runs scorer Travis Head was unbeaten in the middle on 34 as allrounder Beau Webster completed a memorable Test debut by slapping the winning boundary through mid-off to finish 39no in an unconquered 58-run fifth-wicket stand.
Australia had set up their first series win against India since 2014-15 by ripping through the visitors this morning, with the angst presented by the seemingly gettable pursuit noticeably lessened by the absence of India’s best bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
The precise nature of the injury that prevented Bumrah from bowling on days two and three remains unknown beyond ‘back spasms’ but without their strike weapon and talisman, India presented a significantly reduced threat under substitute skipper Virat Kohli.