Australia beat India to reclaim Border-Gavaskar Trophy and enter WTC final

Hosts seal a six-wicket win in Sydney Test to clinch the series 3-1 and set up a World Test Championship final against South Africa.

Australia have beaten India by six wickets in the fifth Test of their five-match series and won back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade.

The hosts held their nerve to chase down their victory target of 162 after lunch on the third day of the final Test in Sydney on Sunday, prompting wild celebrations from their camp as they also sealed a spot in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s in June.

Travis Head, who was 34 not out, and debutant Beau Webster, unbeaten on 39, got their team over the line to end the series on a high.

“It’s unreal, it’s been an amazing series,” Australia skipper Pat Cummins said shortly after the win.

“It felt like it was kind of seesawing throughout the whole series so to finish it 3-1, to hold the trophy, is an amazing feeling,” he added.

“I’m immensely proud, I absolutely love playing with these guys and it’s been a lot of fun along the way as well.”

India captain Jasprit Bumrah was unable to bowl in Australia’s second innings because of a back issue but his fellow pace bowlers Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj kept the match on a knife edge by removing four top-order Australian batters.

The match had been played on fast forward over the first two days with 15 wickets falling on Saturday, and Australia removed four more in the first hour on Sunday morning to dismiss India for 157.

The track retained some spice, and Krishna stood up in Bumrah’s stead and sent back opener Sam Konstas for 22, Marnus Labuschagne for six and Steve Smith for four before lunch.

Smith trudged off, head bowed, on 9,999 career runs, and was