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Former Indian cricketer Surinder Khanna has shared his thoughts on India's 3-1 defeat against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He credited Australia's match-winning 58 runs partnership between Travis Head and Beau Webster, while also reflecting on India's inconsistent performance in Sydney on Sunday.
"The partnership between Travis Head and Webster helped Australia beat India," Khanna told ANI, highlighting the pivotal moment that turned the series in Australia's favour. Khanna also pointed out India's recent struggles, referencing their 3-0 loss to New Zealand before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He expressed concerns about the team's preparation at the start of the series. However, he praised Jasprit Bumrah's leadership in securing a victory in the opening match in Perth. "At the beginning of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, our preparation was not very good, but under the captaincy of Jasprit Bumrah, we won the first match," he noted. Despite the overall result, Khanna acknowledged individual performances that stood out during the series. "Some performers from India, including Nitish Reddy and Yashasvi Jaiswal, were very good. Bumrah was the only man from India fighting against Australia in Australia," he remarked. India's defeat has sparked discussions, emphasizing the need for better preparation and a more cohesive team effort in future series. Australia broke the 10-year-long hiatus and successfully reclaimed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after conquering India at the Sydney Cricket Ground and thumping its authority in the fierce rivalry with a 3-1 series win. Rohit Sharma, who decided to sit out in the final Test, saw his side with downcast eyes. Head coach Gautam Gambhir looked dejected as he saw India's growing misery on the field. The emotions of the two stalwarts summed up the SCG Test. For India, the three days were a mix of seeing dreams and then watching them crumble right in front of their eyes. The six-wicket defeat ended India's hopes of reaching the World Test Championship final for the third successive time. On the other hand, the triumph in Sydney booked Australia's date with South Africa in the WTC final at the iconic Lord's. The Baggy Greens will step into the venue with the ambition of successfully defending the WTC mace. Australia had a paltry 162-run target to chase down. Debutant Beau Webster finished it off in style by finding the boundary rope, bringing the BGT back to Australia. Travis Head and Webster returned unbeaten with scores of 34(38) and 39(34). (ANI)
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