Australia beat India by 209 runs at The Oval to clinch their maiden World Test Championship title after 18 months of dominance in the Test arena.
India slumped to a 7-55 defeat on Sunday morning, with Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon tearing apart the team’s middle order in the second innings.
The Aussies were far from their best in the WTC final, but the contest was an excellent warm-up ahead of their five-Test Ashes campaign against England.
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“First Kohli, now Jadeja!” burning of Australians | 00:43
David Warner — 5
43 and 1
Despite ongoing speculation about his future in the Test arena, David Warner has done enough to secure his place for the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston.
After surviving a first-morning probe spell on the morning of the first day, in what was arguably the most difficult time to hit, the veteran gloved hand looked carefully before dropping it down the side of his leg.
But Warner’s questionable footwork in the second innings is a major concern ahead of his fourth and final Ashes campaign in the United Kingdom.
The 36-year-old missed the chance at first slip, though he could have stumped wicketkeeper Alex Carey early on the third day.
Warner takes Umesh to the cleaners 00:40
Usman Khawaja — 3
0 and 13
Usman Khawaja’s England quicks are licking their lips after falling behind in both games in the World Test Championship final against India.
The Dukes ball, swinging in attack or defence, remains Khawaja’s kryptonite, with his Test average in England slipping to 17.78.
Queenslanders tightened control in the second innings on Friday afternoon before Umesh Yadav suffered an accidental hemorrhaging on a wide delivery.
He also gave Shardul Thakar a premature concession to the slip cordon in the third day’s opener.
India on strike as Uzzi goes for a duck 00:33
MARNUS LABUCHAGN — 6
26 and 41
Not in the world. 1 The Test batter continued the disappointing trend of making starts without continuing with them.
Marnus Labuschagne threw away his wicket with an extravagant drive against Mohammed Shami in the first innings, leaving Australia with a worrying 3-76 after the lunch break.
The Queenslanders battled valiantly on the third day, with the bitter pitch starting to play tricks in the evening session. But Labuschagne failed to complete his half-century on Saturday morning, falling victim to Umesh Yadav.
Marnus suddenly woke up at the gate! | 00:34
Steve Smith — 9
121 and 34
The Australian vice-captain’s love affair with The Oval continued this week, bringing up his third Test century at Kennington in the World Test Cup final.
After a sick start to the first day, Steve Smith accelerated in the evening session and brought up his 31st Test ton with back-to-back boundaries off Mohammed Siraj on Thursday morning.
Reviving the reverse and horizontal trigger movement that worked wonders against England in 2019, Smith looks set to repeat his heroics four years ago in the upcoming Ashes.
The 34-year-old’s extraordinary dismissal in the second innings at the village of Indian spinner Ravindra Jadeja was hopefully the undoing of an otherwise productive winter campaign.
Smith reaches 31st ton as Australians dominate | 02:43
TRAVIS HEAD — 9
163 and 18
The decision to drop Travis Head in the opener of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series is surprising every match.
The South Australian scored his maiden Test century outside Australia in this week’s World Test Championship final, rescuing the Aussies on day one with a counter-attacking masterclass at The Oval – the same venue where he was taken four years ago.
It just keeps making the national selectors look stupid.
Despite some vulnerability against the short ball and a cheap dismissal in the second innings, Head looks set to be a crucial figure for Australia ahead of the Ashes.
Head bludgeons against india girl ton | 02:40
CAMERON GREEN — 6
6 and 25, 2-44 and 0-13
We’ve seen the best and worst of Cameron Greene this week.
After driving his first Test delivery in England through gully for a stunning boundary, the young West Australian skidded outside off a few minutes later and was dismissed cheaply.
When Cheteshwar Pujara muscled a loose green delivery through the four dots on Thursday, the 24-year-old responded with a peach of a shot and it hit the Indian No.1. 3 has no mast.
Early in the third day, he saved himself with a one-handed screamer after Shardul threw a pillar into the cliff to give Thakar an extra life.
Meanwhile, Green’s second-inning sack was surprising, to say the least. The only thing he lacks is with the club, the ball and the field.
The green absolutely screams on day 3 | 00:32
ALEX CAREY — 8
48 and 66*, six catches
Alex Carey, who has never scored more runs in a Test match, top scored for Australia in the second innings of the World Test Championship final to help India chase down the fourth innings.
The South Australian was unreasonably swept back and shot on the leg on the second day, but batted flawlessly throughout the match.
Carey’s glovework was tidy as usual, but he was again reluctant to take the plunge before first slip when Ajinkya Rahane was caught behind at the start of day three, a recurring problem for the 31-year-old.
However, he redeemed himself with a one-handed catch over his head to remove Umesh Yadav during India’s collapse on the fifth day.
Déjà vu – the janitor burns Carey again! | 00:57
MITCHELL STARC — 5
2-71 and 2-77
Mitchell Starc’s place for the Edgbaston Ashes Test is in jeopardy after his bowling performance in the World Test Championship final against India.
The left-hander was dismissed after two runs in the first innings, struggling to find his length and swinging the new Dukes ball. He scored six runs in the second innings when he did not open the bowling in Saturday’s evening session.
However, Starc’s dismissals of Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane showed why he is such a valuable member of this Test side – he has the ability to take wickets when the team needs them most.
Kohli’s Starc snorter | There is no answer 00:37
Pat Cummins — 6
3-83 and 1-55
The Australian captain is the first to admit he showed signs of rest in the World Test Championship final after a three-month layoff.
Pat Cummins was plagued by front-foot balls throughout the match, registering ten of them in both innings, two of which were costly – with Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakar each getting an extra life after the New South Welshman overtook them.
Regardless, Cummins showed his destructive potential against the Indians this week and will be hoping he clears the cobwebs ahead of the Ashes.
A small overshoot will cost Cummins | 00:46
NATHAN LYON — 8
1-19 and 4-41
He bowled hard in the first innings, but Nathan Lyon still found a way to make his mark in the World Test Championship final against India.
At the end of the second day, the veteran off-spinner took the crucial wicket of Ravindra Jadeja in the second ball with a superb delivery that kissed the left-arm outside edge.
Lyon’s dismissal of rival captain Rohit Sharma changed the momentum of the game on Saturday evening, and he returned to clean up India’s tail the next morning.
He is one step closer to the magical 500-wicket mark.
Boland Bowling Pearl India | 00:27
SCOTT BOLAND — 9
2-59 and 3-46
Scott Boland seems built for bowling in English conditions.
Victoria, playing her first professional match in the UK, looked home with Duke ball this week, starting with a pair of maidens and Shubman Gill’s stunning dismissal.
Boland, who hit the ball relentlessly, was Australia’s most economical bowler in the first innings, conceding less than three runs in a high-scoring contest.
Helping to open the bowling in the second innings, he claimed the early scalp of Subman Gill before sealing India’s fate by beating Virat Kohli on Sunday morning.
Boland gave the national selectors a major headache ahead of the Ashes.
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