The victory, which ended Australia’s decade-long BGT drought, came after Cummins led his side to success on Sunday. Scott Boland was pivotal in the win, delivering outstanding performances at crucial moments, finishing with match figures of 10/75. On the final day, debutant Beau Webster played a key role by hitting the boundary that secured the six-wicket triumph.

Cummins expressed his joy in the post-match presentation, calling the series one of his all-time favourites. He praised the enthusiastic support of the Australian fans, noting the electric atmosphere at both the MCG and the SCG, where the crowd attendance was sold out on multiple occasions. “It will go down as one of my favourite series. The fans have made this series. MCG was great, and three sellouts in Sydney. It is such a special day in the calendar. It is something I grew up with. We are celebrating such a great cause,” Cummins said.

Australia faced a challenging chase in Sydney, needing 162 runs to secure the win. With a slender four-run deficit, they found themselves at 58/3, but the nerves were settled by calm and composed innings from Travis Head and Beau Webster, who guided the team to victory. Cummins reflected on the team’s determination, saying, “Unreal. It is one that a few of us didn’t have. The boys have had their eye on it, and it has lived up to the hype. We were just clear with the plans. Wanted to minimise the runs. We knew it was going to be a tricky wicket. The batters had a good method.”

Despite the pressure, Australia remained steadfast, with Cummins leading the charge. “Ultimately, it worked out. Immensely proud. We have spent a lot of time as a group. Perth was not as bad as it seems. We have had a lot of fun along the way. Some success along the way is always nice. It has been such a special group,” Cummins added.

With the 3-1 series victory, Australia has earned a place in the World Test Championship final, where they will face South Africa at Lord’s on June 11. Cummins expressed his pride in the team’s achievement, saying, “We feel so privileged to have achieved what we have. Really proud. We are also having the best times of our lives. It is always nice.”

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India enters the final match of the series on the back of an 184-run loss to Australia in the Melbourne Test, which gave the hosts a 2-1 lead. This defeat also dashed India’s hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final at Lord’s early next year. Despite the setback, Gambhir remains unwavering in his belief that the Indian side has what it takes to prevail in Sydney.

During a pre-match press conference, Gambhir emphasized that the team has the right skill set and individual talent to clinch victory in the fifth and final match of the series. He highlighted the potential for even greater achievements in the future with the current squad.

“Extremely, extremely confident. You know, we’ve got the skill set, we’ve got the individuals, we’ve got everything in the dressing room that can win a test match here. Not only here, but probably go on to do some unbelievable things in the future as well. So, extremely confident,” Gambhir said.

However, India will need to adjust to a forced change in their lineup. Gambhir confirmed that pacer Akash Deep would be absent from the Sydney Test due to a back injury. The 28-year-old will not feature in the playing eleven, leaving the team to manage without him in the final match of the series.

“As of now, Akash Deep is out (for the fifth test) due to a back injury,” Gambhir stated.

India’s squad for the final match includes: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Sarfaraz Khan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Shubman Gill, Devdutt Padikkal, Tanush Kotian, Dhruv Jurel, and Harshit Rana.

The final Test will be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground, starting January 3, with both teams gearing up for a thrilling conclusion to the series.

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