Australia have reclaimed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after a decade-long drought, securing a comprehensive series victory over India that also confirmed their place in the World Test Championship final alongside South Africa. The fifth and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground ended inside three days, with Scott Boland delivering a career-defining performance.

Fifth Test Summary – Sydney Cricket Ground

The final Test was a masterclass in Australian bowling, with the hosts dismantling India’s batting lineup with ruthless efficiency. Here’s how the match unfolded:

First Innings

  • Australia: 181 all out (Webster 57; Prasidh Krishna 3-42, Mohammed Siraj 3-51)
  • India: 185 all out (Rishabh Pant 40; Scott Boland 4-31, Mitchell Starc 3-49)

Second Innings

  • India: 157 all out (Rishabh Pant 61; Scott Boland 6-45, Pat Cummins 3-44)
  • Australia: 162/4 (Usman Khawaja 41, Beau Webster 39*, Travis Head 34*; Prasidh Krishna 3-65)

Result: Australia won by 6 wickets

Scott Boland’s Historic Performance

The hero of the Sydney Test was undoubtedly Scott Boland, who bagged his first-ever ten-wicket haul in professional cricket. Having taken four wickets on the opening day, Boland added six more to his tally in India’s second innings, recording figures of 6-45 – his second five-wicket haul in Test cricket since his memorable 6 for 7 on debut against England in 2021.

Boland’s ability to exploit the SCG conditions proved too much for India’s batters, who had no answer to his relentless line and length. His ten-wicket match haul hastened India’s collapse and sealed the series for Australia.

Jasprit Bumrah – Player of the Series

Despite India’s series defeat, Jasprit Bumrah was named Player of the Series for his outstanding bowling performances throughout the tour. The Indian spearhead finished with the most wickets by an Indian bowler on a tour of Australia, cementing his status as one of the premier fast bowlers in world cricket.

India’s hopes of staying in contention for the World Test Championship final rested heavily on Bumrah. Unfortunately, without him at full fitness in the final Test, those hopes faded away. Nevertheless, his individual brilliance was a silver lining in what was otherwise a disappointing series for India.

Series Impact and WTC Implications

This victory marks the first time in ten years that Australia has held the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The silverware had eluded them since 2014-15, with India winning four consecutive series against their rivals.

More importantly, the result confirmed Australia’s spot in the World Test Championship final, where they will face South Africa. India’s loss means their WTC final hopes are now over, a bitter pill to swallow for a team that had dominated this rivalry for so long.

Earlier T20 Series – India’s Consolation

While the Test series ended in disappointment, India did secure a positive result in the T20 series held in November 2025. The Indian cricket team beat Australia 2-1 in the T20 series after the final match in Brisbane was washed out due to rain.

This result extended India’s dominance in T20 cricket against Australia, with the visitors now having won four consecutive T20I series against the Australians. However, this offered little consolation following the Test series defeat.

Looking Ahead

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy loss raises serious questions for Indian cricket. The failure of the middle order, over-reliance on Bumrah, and inability to handle Australian conditions consistently are issues that need addressing before their next tour Down Under.

For Australia, the triumph validates their patient rebuilding under Pat Cummins’ captaincy. With the WTC final beckoning, they’ll look to carry this momentum into what promises to be another historic encounter.