Dejection was palpable among Indian players and fans at the SCG as Pat Cummins’ men celebrated lifting the coveted trophy.
India’s preparations began on shaky ground, with a 0-3 home series loss to New Zealand that significantly dented their hopes of qualifying for a third consecutive World Test Championship final. And a series loss to Australia has confirmed they will not be booking tickets for Lord’s in June.
So, what went wrong for India in their quest to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?
BATTING CAME A CROPPER
Batting didn’t click – that’s the main reason for India’s lacklustre show in the series. India’s batting woes were the primary reason for their lackluster performance in the series. Remarkably, India failed to cross the 200-run mark in seven innings across the series.
In the opening Test in Perth, the team was bowled out for just 150 in their first innings. However, centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli in the second innings helped India secure a resounding 295-run victory, offering hope of a strong campaign.
The second Test in Adelaide, however, exposed the batting frailties once more. India collapsed in both innings, scoring 180 and 150, respectively, and succumbed to a 10-wicket defeat.
India showed resilience in the MCG Test, bowling out Australia for 474 and responding with 369, thanks to Nitish Reddy’s determined century. Chasing 340 in the final innings, the Indian batting lineup faltered again. Eight batters were dismissed for single-digit scores, including three ducks. India was bowled out for 155, losing by 184 runs, and Australia took a 2-1 series lead.
The SCG Test was a must-win for India to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and stay in contention for the World Test Championship final. However, the batting lineup faltered yet again, failing to cross 200 runs in either innings. This handed Australia a six-wicket win, the series trophy, and a spot in the WTC final.
India’s inability to deliver consistent batting performances proved to be their undoing in this crucial series.
BUMRAH – THE ONE-MAN ARMY
When India took the field to defend a modest 162-run target, they were without their star pacer Jasprit Bumrah. Sidelined by a back spasm, Bumrah sat in the dugout, visibly frustrated at missing the chance to exploit a bouncy, tricky track. His absence was felt deeply, as Australia cruised to victory in just 27 overs, reclaiming the series after a decade.
“It was really frustrating, but sometimes you have to respect your body—you can’t fight it. Disappointing, probably missed out on the spiciest wicket of the series,” Bumrah reflected during the post-match presentation. Despite his injury, Bumrah ended the series as the highest wicket-taker, with 32 scalps.
Over the course of the series, Bumrah bowled 151.2 overs (908 deliveries), delivering with remarkable consistency. His impressive series average of 13.06 and economy rate of 2.77 highlighted his effectiveness, with a best figures of 6/76 underlining his dominance.
However, the immense workload raised questions about his physical limits. At 31, Bumrah remains a cornerstone of India’s bowling attack, often summoned daily to make an impact, whether with the ball or the bat. His brilliance throughout the series was undeniable, underscored by his absence in the concluding stages.
VIRAT’S OFF-STUMP PROBLEM
Once celebrated for countering the Australian attack with flair, ease, and aggression, Virat Kohli ended the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on a disappointing note.
In what could be his final innings in whites on Australian soil, he fell once again to the outside-off-stump trap, capping off his worst-ever performance Down Under.
Virat has participated in five Border-Gavaskar Trophy series: 2011 (300 runs), 2014 (692 runs), 2018 (282 runs), 2020 (78 runs, as he played only one Test during the tour due to paternity leave), and 2024 (190 runs).
In the second innings of the SCG Test, India looked to Virat for a crucial knock to set a challenging target. However, after executing an authoritative pull shot off his latest nemesis, Scott Boland, he nicked one outside off-stump straight into Steve Smith’s hands, marking another soft dismissal.
Virat wrapped up the series with just 190 runs in five Tests (nine innings) at an average of 23.75. His scores read: 5, 100* (Perth), 7, 11 (Adelaide), 3 (Brisbane), 36, 5 (Melbourne), and 17, 6 (Sydney).
For India’s most reliable and experienced batter in Australian conditions, it was an uncharacteristic and forgettable outing.
INDIA’S HEAD’ACHE’
Travis Head’s dominance over India is well-known, and the Australian left-hander continued to torment India’s bowlers throughout the five-match series. Head proved to be the key difference between the two teams, scoring a brilliant 89 in the opening Test, which Australia lost, but he did not alter his aggressive approach.
He followed up with a majestic 140 in the day-night Test in Adelaide, leading Australia to a 10-wicket victory and earning the Player of the Match award. Head didn’t stop there; he smashed a brilliant 152 in the Brisbane Test, which ended in a draw, and once again received the Player of the Match award.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, known for his sharp wit, took a jibe at the Indian bowlers, saying Head’s onslaught had forced them to seek relief with balms.
“Because his new surname is Travis Head’ache. They are looking for balms in India. For foot problems, ankle problems (and) even a headache they are looking for a balm. He is ideal for that,” Shastri said during the ICC Review Show.
In the final moments of the series, with Australia four down and having lost two quick wickets (Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith), Head shifted gears, scoring 34 not out off 38 balls to guide Australia home in style and secure the series win.
SMITH’S TWIN TONS
Ahead of the Test series against India, Steve Smith’s form was a concern for Australia. In the series against New Zealand, he managed only 51 runs in 2 Tests, averaging a mere 12.75.
However, the former Australian captain quickly regained his touch when he stepped onto the field for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. After struggling in the first two Tests, Smith returned to form in spectacular fashion, scoring a brilliant century in Brisbane and then a magnificent 140 in the Melbourne Test.
While India focused on containing Head, Konstas, Khawaja, and Labuschagne, Smith had different plans in mind.
‘OPERATION’ ROHIT
In just six months, Rohit has gone from being celebrated as a hero for leading India to a T20 World Cup victory to facing criticism for his inconsistent performances.
Rohit entered the series following a rough patch with the bat in two consecutive series—first against Bangladesh and then New Zealand. He played two Tests against Bangladesh, scoring only 42 runs at an average of 10.50. He then had another disappointing outing in the three-match series against New Zealand at home, where he managed just 91 runs at an average of 15.16.
Missing the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar series due to the birth of his second child, Rohit was expected to make a strong comeback in the second Test. However, his return did not live up to expectations.
Rohit ended the series with just 31 runs from five innings and was dropped for the fifth and final Test due to his poor form.
Rohit’s lack of runs in such a significant series was one of the key reasons behind India’s defeat on Australian soil.
