Australia claims the Border-Gavaskar trophy for the first time in 10 years

Australia has won the Border-Gavaskar series 3-1 after chasing down 162 runs on the third day of the SCG test, bringing a close to one of the best test series in recent memory.

Update

Australia resumed after lunch at 3/71 with Usman Khawaja on 19 and Travis Head on five and went about chasing down the remaining runs.

Some elegant boundaries made the Aussie supporters breathe a bit more comfortably as Khawaja and Head put on a 46-run partnership.

But the partnership was broken when Khawaja, on 41, under-edged a pull shot off the bowling of Mohammed Siraj, putting Australia four down, still requiring 58 runs to win.

Shortly after, Siraj went up for an LBW shout after striking Beau Webster on the back leg, which was sent upstairs by India almost in hope and it clearly showed it was outside the line.

An edge off the bat of Webster fell just short of KL Rahul at second slip with Australia requiring 29 to win.

Head and Webster batted beautifully, putting on a match-winning unbeaten partnership of 56, and with a smashing off drive, Webster hit the winning runs.

Webster finished on 39 and Head finished on 34 as they saw Australia home, winning the Border-Gavaskar trophy for the first time in 10 years.

With Australia’s win, they have also clinched a spot in the World Test Championship final, where they will play South Africa at Lords in June.

For India, they are left to think what might have been if their bowling superstar Jasprit Bumrah, who had taken 32 wickets this series, was fit to bowl in the decisive fourth innings.

Scott Boland was awarded the player of the match for his match figures of 10/76 in a performance that just adds to the aura of the Australian cult hero.

Jasprit Bumrah was awarded the Player of the Series after one of the most extraordinary bowling performances ever, with 32 wickets at an average of 13.

It has been one of the greatest test match series on Australian soil, starting from an Indian masterclass in Perth to an Australian bounce back in Adelaide, an MCG thriller and finishing with an SCG special.

Earlier

Before play on day 3, the SCG was united, turning into a sea of pink to support the McGrath Foundation on Jane McGrath Day.

Before play began, the status of Indian star Jasprit Bumrah was still unknown, and only time would tell if he would be able to play a role with the ball or the bat.

India resumed on 6/141, leading Australia by 145 runs, but the Aussies were dealt a double blow with Pat Cummins edging off Ravindra Jadeja and bowling Washington Sundar in quick succession, making India eight down with a lead of 160.

Then, despite the injury concerns, Bumrah came out to bat in an attempt to manufacture a defendable total.

Mohammed Siraj was the next to fall with the cult hero Scott Boland finding the edge to get his second career five-wicket haul.

Just as quickly as he got his fifth wicket, Boland got his sixth, and for the first time in his test career, he had 10 wickets in a match with figures of 10/76.

India was dismissed for 157, losing 4-16 this morning, leaving a target of 162 for Australia to win the Border-Gavaskar trophy for the first time in 10 years.

India took the field without captain Jasprit Bumrah and started extremely poorly with the ball, with Australia being 0/26 off just two overs with 12 extras.

Australia’s flying start was halted when Sam Konstas hit a wild slog straight up in the air, gone for 22 and Australia 1/39.

Then India started to roar, picking up the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne and making it 2/52. Australia still required 110 to win.

Steve Smith came to the crease needing only five runs to reach 10,000 milestone.

Sitting on 9,999 runs, Prasidh Krishna got one to bounce on Smith, he edged it to Gully, leaving him agonisingly one run short of the milestone and leaving Australia still needing 104 runs to win.

Travis Head and Usman Khawaja were able to get the Aussies through to lunch only three down, requiring 91 runs to win.

Play will resume at 1:10 pm local time, where Australia will look to chase down the remaining runs to win the Border-Gavaskar trophy.

Listen to the rest of day 3 action of the SCG live on the SEN app.