India's WTC dream ends in crushing defeat

AUSTRALIA RECLAIM BORDER-GAVASKAR TROPHY AFTER 10 YEARS

A lacklustre Indian side was knocked out of the World Test Championship (WTC) race as Australia secured a commanding six-wicket victory in the fifth Test on Sunday. The win not only clinched the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for Australia after a decade but also highlighted India's struggles during a difficult transition phase marked by inconsistent performances and underwhelming contributions from ageing batting stars.

With the 3-1 series victory, Australia confirmed their place in the WTC final against South Africa, scheduled at Lord's from June 11 to 15. The defeat marked a new low for India, as they failed to qualify for the WTC final for the first time since the tournament's inception, having finished as runners-up in the previous two editions. India's slim hopes of defending a modest 162-run target were dashed even before the game resumed on Sunday. Jasprit Bumrah, India's new Test captain and star performer of the series with 32 wickets, was ruled out of bowling due to back spasms. Virat Kohli led the team out in Bumrah's absence, but it was evident that defending the total would be an uphill task.

Without Bumrah, India's bowling attack lacked the sharpness required to put pressure on the Australian batters. Prasidh Krishna (3/65) and Mohammed Siraj (1/69) managed occasional breakthroughs but leaked runs with inconsistency. Usman Khawaja (41), Travis Head (34*), and debutant Beau Webster (39*) made light work of the chase, sealing the series for the hosts in just 27 overs.