Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023: Australia qualify for WTC Final with famous win over India in Indore Test

Indore, March 3: Australia registered a famous nine-wicket win over India in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 on Friday (March 3) and sealed their spot in the World Test Championships 2021-23 Final.

Under the leadership of stand-in captain Steve Smith, the Australians wrapped up the game within 7 sessions. Giving Indians a taste of their own medicine, the Aussies made use full use of the rank-turner on offer at Holkar Stadium and ran through the hosts' batting line-up twice in the game.

Australia in WTC 2021-23 Final

Win in Indore has ensured the Aussies have an impressive 68.52 points in WTC, which has ensured they finish the current WTC cycle in the first place. Regardless of the result in the fourth and final Test against India, starting March 9 in Ahmedabad, the Australians are going to finish at the top of the team standings.

India Rankings in WTC 2021-23 Team Standings

Rohit Sharma-led Indian side is ranked second in team standings with 60.29 of their possible WTC points. They are still the front-runners to book the ticket to the final, the one-off Test at The Oval in June. However, a loss in their next game will pull them out of the race. Indians can be overtaken by Sri Lanka should results go against them over the coming weeks. Sri Lankans are set to tour New Zealand for a two-Test series and wins Down Under could bolster their chances of WTC Final qualification.

How Australia prevailed over India in Indore

Chasing a paltry target of 76 runs, in-form Australia batters Travis Head (49*) and Marnus Labuschagne (28*) took the visitors home and registered a famous win at the Holkar Stadium, which has been India's fortress.

Stand-in captain Steve Smith proved to be a better captain in the game which ended in just two days and one session. The pitch has been under criticism from the first day itself for acting as a rank-turner from the start of play, and might even get below average rating by the ICC match referee.

Indian batters disappoint in Indore

India captain Rohit Sharma's decision to bat first on a rank-turner backfired as the hosts were bundled out for 109 in the first innings as left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhneman picked up a five-wicket haul.

Australians were off to a confident start and opener Usman Khawaja top-scored from both sides with 60. But the visitors were folded for 197 after a lower middle-order collapse on Day 2. R Ashwin (3 wickets), Ravindra Jadeja (4 wickets) and Umesh Yadav (3 wickets) were the wreckers-in-chief for Indians.

With a significant 87-run lead, the Aussies came back strongly in the third innings and prevented Rohit and his band from taking a big lead as the Indians were bundled out for 163.

Hosts caught in spin web of Nathan Lyon

Star off-spinner Nathan Lyon wreaked havoc with the ball on a turning second-day track in Indore and returned with an eight for 64. Every Indian batter had no answer to his spin and kept getting trapped in Lyon's web. Lyon also became the leading wicket-taker in the history of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy by taking his tally to 113 under his belt, surpassing Anil Kumble (111 scalps).

Pujara fought a lone battle in 2nd essay for India

Cheteshwar Pujara's gritty knock of 59 off 142 balls in the second innings was the only positive with the bat for the Indians. The right-handed batter - who enjoys batting under pressure against the Aussies - was dismissed when skipper Steve Smith took a blinder at leg-slip. Soon after Pujara's fall, India's batting line-up collapsed.

Barring Pujara, no Indian batter could cross the 30-run mark in either innings, which was a major reason for their shambolic performance.