India’s hopes of reaching their third consecutive World Test Championship (WTC) final came to an end with a loss to Australia in the fifth and final Test in Sydney on Sunday. Australia won the series 3-1 and secured their spot in the WTC final, where they will face South Africa at Lord’s in June.
Australia Claims Border-Gavaskar Trophy After 10 Years
With this victory, Australia also ended their 10-year wait for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, winning it for the first time since the 2014-2015 season. India needed to win the Sydney Test to draw the series 2-2, retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and stay in the race for the WTC final qualification. However, the defeat left India with a points percentage (PCT) of 50.00, dropping them to third place in the WTC standings.
India’s Decline in the WTC Standings
India’s WTC points percentage decreased from 52.77 to 50.00 after the loss, marking their eighth defeat in the ongoing 2023-25 cycle. Australia, on the other hand, extended their points percentage to 63.72 from 61.45 after their 11th win of this edition.
Australia Eyes Retaining the WTC Title
Australia, the defending champions after defeating India in the 2023 WTC final at The Oval, will be looking to defend their title when the final takes place from June 11-15, 2025. South Africa earned their place in the final after defeating Pakistan in the first Test in Durban.
India’s Struggles in the Current WTC Cycle
India’s hopes for a third straight WTC final were dashed in just three months, with six defeats. They suffered a 0-3 loss to New Zealand in November and then lost the series in Australia. If Sri Lanka beats Australia 2-0 in their upcoming series, India could slip to fourth place in the WTC standings.
Australia Seals Win with Ease
Australia chased down the target of 162 runs in just 27 overs for the loss of 4 wickets, completing the win at the Sydney Cricket Ground in less than three days. Travis Head remained unbeaten on 34 runs, while debutant Beau Webster scored 39 runs, adding 58 for the fifth wicket. India missed the presence of senior pacer Jasprit Bumrah during the third day’s play. Bumrah, who finished the series with 32 wickets, did not bowl in Australia’s second innings due to back issues.
