Test Match Special - Australia reclaim Border Gavaskar Trophy

Episode Date: January 5, 2025

We review another absorbing Test as Australia won by six wickets at the SCG to take the series against India 3-1 and reclaim the Border Gavaskar series for the first time in over a decade.We get analysis from Alison Mitchell, former Australia coach Darren Lehmann and former Australia bowler Stuart Clark. Isa Guha speaks with player of the match Scott Boland plus captains Pat Cummins and Jasprit Bumrah and we also hear from Australian opener Usman Khawja.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. To embrace the impossible requires a vehicle that pushes what's possible. Defender 110 boasts a towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms, a weighting depth of 900 millimeters, and a roof load up to 300 kilograms. Learn more at landrover.ca. This podcast is brought to you by Wise, the app for international people using money around the globe. With Wise, you can send, spend, and receive up to 40 currencies with only a few simple taps. Plus, Wise won't add hidden fees to your transfer. Whether you're buying

souvenirs with pesos in Puerto Vallata or sending euros to a loved one in Paris, you know you're getting a fair exchange rate with no extra markups. Be smart. Join the 15 million customers who choose Wise. Download the Wise app today or visit Wise.com. T's and Cs apply. from BBC Radio 5 Live. Hello, I'm Alison Mitchell and welcome to a bonus test match special podcast looking back on the final test between Australia and India

here at the SCG. Sundar, around the wicket, down the pitch, there he goes. He's hit that wrong, strong, and it's gone away to the boundary for four, and that's the game. Hit and Webster meet mid-pitching in place, Australia with a fist pump

from Webster. The debutante does strike a blow to the boundary to get Australia home by six wickets here and they've qualified for the WTC final but more importantly they have won the border Gabasca trophy for the first time in a decade they led to one they've won convincingly here in the end, and they win the series 3-1. Australia regaining the Border Gavaskar Trophy with a six-wicket win in the fifth and final test. To come, we'll get reaction from both sides, plus analysis from the commentary team, led by Andrew Moore.

You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. What a performance by Australia to win the Border Gavisgar Trophy back. First Series winning against India for a decade. Australia was set 162 to win after bowling India out this morning on day 3 at the SCG on Jane McGrath Day for just 157 India having resumed on 6 for 141

but they quickly lost Rabidja for 13 Washington Sundar for 12 Pat Cummins getting both of those wickets and then Scott Boland he dismissed Mohammed Syraj for 4 and Jasprit Bumra for a duck and Boland finished with 6 for 45 He finished with 10 wickets for the match

and just a mighty performance by Boland. Cummins finished with 3 for 44. It left Australia, 162 to win. They put on 40 in the first four overs before Sam Constis was out disposed by Krishna for 22 as 1 for 40. Lavashane. Manus Labashane went for six. Krishna again picked him up.

He caught at the gully by Jaswell and then Steve Smith with his career tally on 9,99 runs. He got an brute of it. delivery from Krishna, good catch by Jayeswell in the gully. He went for four and is stranded on 9,99 test runs. And after lunch, Usman Kowarja was caught behind by Punt of Mohamed Siraj for 41 from 45 deliveries. It was four for 104, but then an unbroken partnership of 58 between Travis Head and on Dubu, Boe Webster, has steered Australia to a six-wicket win.

Great test match, but a convincing margin in the end for the Aussies, winning by those six-wickets. Strava said 34 not out, and Boe Webster, 39 not out on the back of his first innings, 57. Andrew Moore alongside former Australian player and coach Darren Lehman. Hoof, the entertainment was there. It's another test match that's ended in about two and a half days. Six-wicket margin for Australia. Does that sound about right? It does sound about right, mate.

I thought they played beautifully today. They got it the right way. They got the four wickets, and then they went about scoring the runs in a really aggressive way. I thought Coagia was excellent. Sam Constis got us going. and then all of a sudden with the back end it was Webster and Head. The unlucky thing for me was obviously

the change Steve Smith finishing just saw as we get the great man Usman Coaja coming here. Osmond Coager is here after scoring that 41 off 45 deliveries and encouraging end of the series and a pitch that remained pretty tough the whole way through, is he?

Yeah, this is, I'm not going to lie, I don't want to talk about it too much beforehand but Wicked was a stinker. I come to the SCJ. Normally, you know, even if you have a tough run you come to the SCG and you're like, oh yeah, we're coming to the SCG. Some runs to be had here, but it wasn't like a traditional SCG wicket. There's the new grass on it.

There's cracks all over it. It's been tough. I think the scoreboard will tell you that. Yeah. Yeah, so you need a little bit of luck. And, you know, we thankfully, we were on the right side of the wind. But when it's a wicket like that, you're always on knife edge. Yeah, I saw you last night.

We didn't mention it on air, but when you walk past when we were doing the show, I think you amount to, oh, what is this wicket doing? You know, and it remained that way, and we saw some extreme. extraordinary attacking cricket. We saw some shots that looked way out of the ordinary for a test match, but obviously given the conditions, as Darren and Glenn McGraw and others were saying on our broadcast yesterday, you're worried that one of these balls has your name on it

the way the pitch is moving around and reacting. Is that how it felt? Yeah, it felt like if you got about 30, it was a pretty good score on this weekend. Looking at the scores, 200 was what every team was kind of getting, and you either had to decide, well, am I going to play normally or am I going to try to take the game on a little bit? Like the way Rishat-Pett made it yesterday. I was worried when he came out.

I remember I said to Kerry, as he came out, I'm like, I hope we don't get attacking Rishab here because he can get a few quick runs and he's going to put a lot of pressure on us. And he batted beautifully for what the conditions were. So yeah, respect to him. And did that make your job a little bit easy when you saw Rishad do that?

You go, well, that's the way you've got to play in that wicket. Yeah. You certainly all had the intent to score quickly today. I didn't want to get out, just, you know, just fumbling and poking around. I'm like, well, if the ball's in my area, I'm going after it. I'm going to show intent.

If it's at the stamps, I'm just going to protect my stumps, but then if it's width, I'm going for it. If it's short, I'm going for it, eventually my demise, but it helped me to get 41. I think if I just, especially at the start when the ball was new, you saw Marnis and Smudge, crabbing around a little bit, trying to find their feet a little bit.

But it was just one of those wickets where if you did do that, potentially you didn't put enough pressure back on the bowler. So, I mean, small run-chaches, but if you know what it's like, you've got to get him quick. Swing hard. Yeah, get him quick. Oh, it's more than everything. For you personally, the back end of the series,

it looked like you got back to the old, was there a mind change from say the second test onwards you started to use your feet a bit more be a bit more proactive yeah just intent this is always a bad intent I felt like I had the right intent at the start but to be honest guys I was just getting boomered like it was freaking tough work it was tough work and every like people are asking me what's going on I'm being honest I'm just getting boomered I have to face this guy with a new ball every single time and it was you know you never wanted to see anyone injured and it's a shame he was but you know thank god for us because today would have been an absolute nightmare facing him on that wicket

and you can see what a big part of that team was and everyone felt it as soon as we didn't see Brimmy out there we had this sense of feeling like all right now we've got actually got a chance here how good is he because we watch it and I just go I've not seen a better fastball I mean Mitchell Johnson 13 14 Pat Cummins obviously has been excellent for Australia recent times but he just looks like a different level yeah he's the toughest ball I've ever faced and I faced him in 2018 and I think he only got me out once and he was all right it's good

Like he was a very good bowler. But he's been something else this year. It looked like he's just got his tail up. What's made him better? I mean, the wickets have definitely helped him. But he was just, I think he's four years old. Well, how was it? It's 2018.

It's a long time. But if that's six years, he's more mature. He's a better bowler. He understands his skills. He understands who he's bowling to. He has different plans to everyone. And, you know, I always feel like no matter how good a bowler is, I always can get, you know, they'll give me something to score off.

I just never felt like I could score off him. I just felt so hard. It's easy to say it now because I probably want to have. to face him again thank god um so it's it's one of those things i've never actually found someone so hard to score off and get off strike as boomer and then you always feel like he's got a wicket ball off his sleeve so i was going to ask you it like as an elite cricketer and an athlete you've got to face whoever's bowling whatever ball but that that did have a change in mindset in the dressing room knowing he wasn't coming out 100% yeah yeah boomer in that team you know even the guys

coming in you saw heady and smudge get 100 in the gabbar and then boomer the new ball and then got heady and smut straight by out with the new ball. It doesn't matter how many runs you were on. You felt like if you got Bumra in the wrong conditions, you need a little bit of luck, you need to show a little bit of intent. Hopefully you can get the spell, but it's very tough. Now, last one before you go for the presentations,

mate, Sam, Constus, what's he like? Like, seriously, it keeps you young, I know, because you're, you know, twice his age, but what's he like to bat with? I'm going to be honest. I've never met anyone so arrogant but so endearing at the same time. I haven't.

Nope, he's arrogant. He's never found any, but the way he is amongst the group, take what he's like on the field. When he's amongst the group, he's very lovable character. He's actually, he's got this sense of being arrogant, but saying it with a smile on his face, and you just can't take it seriously. So you've got to get to know.

Stuart Clark joining Darren Lehman. I'm Andrew Moore. Grand Standard Stumps after Australia wins this series, Buf, 3-1. That's a decent margin, even though it was a great series. Decent margin, great series, wasn't it? The way it happened for both sides, it just, it was a great series all the way through from Perth when India dominated that game in Perth and really we went, wow, we've got a series here. And, you know, even Brisbane, with a bit of Brisbane being washed out, that would have been a great game as well.

I think three ones are a worthy result, to be perfectly honest, because Brisbane, I think Australia would have won. You know, Adelaide was an Australian victory. Perth shocked everyone, but that was the boomer test. And really, as he said, they got boomerid. He's a superstar of the game. And, you know, if he bowled today, that total might have been enough. Darren Lehman, how are these thoughts here on the SCG in front of the members' pavilion and the Jane McGrath stand here on Jane McGrath day during the pink test

with extraordinary numbers from the virtual seats being sold. Where do you start? And Darren sort of summed it up. We thought they were no chance at Perth. They win there. Adelaide, we knew it was going to be tough underlights, won the toss, thought with their head in the game. cloud cover, anyways, get bowled out, Brisbane, washed out. Melbourne, the game was on

a knife's edge, they lose, and then they've been dominated here. But losing Bummer is a massive issue, I'd listen to Usman. Like, yeah, if Bumra bowls on that, we get, we're still playing, I think, to be fair. I think we're still playing the game. So, unfortunately, that is part of the game, guys get injured, and he did. But the psychological relief that Usman described was powerful, right? You could just say, but this is the sheer, and there are bowlers of that that have played the game throughout the history of the game.

So he's world class, you know, he was most, if not all of their attack. I thought Siraj tried hard, Krishna tried hard today, but they're just not the quality of Bormor. Yeah, Syros. He had that, it was good in Perth, not so good in Adelaide, struggled in in Brisbane, but then found his way in the back end of the two test matches. They've got to find a third quick, and they've got to find a good one. They've got to find a good one to help Bumerer because he's going to get injured because

he has to bowl so many overs, that's the problem. They've got to find someone to help him out because I want to see him bowl in another two or three years he's unbelievable and I don't want to see him keep doing the donkey work I want to see him when they're looking for a weekend they've got to attack big fast super spell it's one of the beauties of the Australian attack because there's three of them and then you've got bowling

there's four of them that they can just rotate through and they never bowl too much so that's one of the beauties India just don't have that luxury we're standing by for the official presentation to be hosted by Ishigua a welcome along to Alan Border the great Alan Border who will be presenting all of the trophies

and it was a pitch that was tricky for batting but for his 10 wickets in the match for 76 runs it's got to go to Scott Holland Sixth for in the second inning, Scott, I bet you want to take this pitch everywhere you go. Oh, yeah, that'd be nice. A special moment for you to be able to take the ten wickets in the match.

You don't get the opportunities too often, but you've certainly been able to make it count. Yeah, it's been a really enjoyable couple of months. probably didn't expect to play too much of a part in the series but yeah I prepared as I was going to and yeah last few weeks been awesome and what is it taken for you to get back because there was a period of time there where you were out injured

it felt like a long way away to get back into this Australian side yeah and there's so many other good fast bowls around the country I was sort of a little bit nervous but yeah just got my body right a lot of hours in the gym and yeah I'm just really happy to be here now and how good is it to be part of such a special win here. Yeah, awesome. Yeah, to win 3-1 against India, hasn't been done for a while, but yeah, awesome. The key thing now is to try and get yourself into that starting 11. Are you going to be

knocking on Pat Cummings' door? I'm happy just playing a part as wherever I came. Congratulations once again, Scott, and all the best in whatever comes next. Thank you. Scott Boland, 10 wickets in the match, but 21 wickets across the series and an average of 13. wonderful stuff and now on to the NRMA player of the series lots of bowlers contributing in this one in particular but for his 32 wickets at 13 and almost single-handedly helping India to a series win Jaspeak Bumra is the player of the series Yes. Jesprit, probably quite bittersweet for you.

You were able to contribute so much throughout this series, but to not be there on what was a series of Finding Day. Must have been very frustrating. Yeah, a little frustrating, but, you know, sometimes you have to respect your body and you can't fight your body. So, yeah, a little disappointing at the end that, you know, probably missed out on the spiciest cricket on the series. But, yeah, that's the way it is. Sometimes you have to accept what it is and, you know, move forward. At what point did you know that you had a problem there?

So just felt a little bit of discomfort. So I just wanted to, you know, check it out what's happening in the first ring when I came back for my second spell. At the same time, the team were able to contribute with you off the field. They picked up those final five wickets yesterday, then got batting again. It was difficult out there. What was the chat this morning amongst the group coming into the game today? The chat was about belief because, you know, the other bowlers stepped up in the first innings as well, obviously, with a bowler shot and, you know, other bowlers had to take extra responsibility. So this morning as well, the chat was according to that, that, you know, you have that belief and we are good enough.

if we create enough pressure, we'll be able to do some damage. A lot of characters were shown across this series, but ultimately, where do you think it went wrong for India in the end? So, you know, lots of Fips and Bats, because the whole series was well fought, and today as well, you know, we were in the game, so it was not like it was totally one-sided. Yes, this is how test it goes in the nerve moments, whichever team holds their nerve for the longest and, you know,

sticks together and tries to find a way out of that, we'll win the series. So I think it was a well-fought series, a lot of good learnings for us and experience that our players have gained who've come here for the first time. What are some of those learnings that you talk about? You know, being in the game for longer, you know, creating pressure, sometimes absorbing pressure when the wickets are difficult,

and sometimes playing to the situation. So all of these learnings are important because young players have come up and, you know, they score runs or they have success through a certain way, but in test cricket you have to sometimes adapt to the situation, make your game work in a different manner as well. So I think these learning will help us in the future. A good mix of senior players and youngsters coming in. How impressed were you, by the way, the youngsters were able to play here?

And what is usually such a tough tour in Australia? Yeah, as I said, they've gained a lot of experience and only they'll go from strength to strength over here. Obviously, this is not the easiest play to play cricket, but we've shown that we have that in us, and we have a lot of talent in our group. So, yes, it's all about adapting and learning new things about your game, and I'm sure a lot of the youngsters are keen,

and obviously they're disappointed that we're not able to win the series, but they want to take the learning forward and, you know, keep growing from here. Fourth most attended series ever here in Australia. So you got a good draw. You know, a lot of people wanted to come and watch you play and you certainly entertain. Any final words from yourself, Jasprey, before you're able to, obviously, congratulate the Australians. No, it was a great series and, you know, congratulations to Australia.

They fought really well and, you know, a well-deserved win. So, yeah, a well-fought series is over and then we'll regroup. and we'll forward from here. Thanks, Jasper. And thank you to the rest of the Indian team as well. It was a seriously intense battle for that ultimately Australia getting it done and I'd now like to welcome up to the stage.

Pat Cummins. Pete too soon, A.B. Pat, you have a lot of... trophy's in your cabinet already, but how much does this one mean to you? Unreal. Yeah, this was one that we, a few of us didn't have. It's been an amazing series and it's one of those ones. It's been in the calendar

for a fair while. You've always got an eye on it for the last year or two and it's really it's lived up to all the hype. Let's start with today because you needed wickets quickly. You picked up four for 16 before the batters went back out there. What was the talk from you and the group before you headed out into

the field of play? Yeah, just being really clear with our plans. trying to minimize the amount of runs that scored this morning. That was kind of the first box to tick. And then we knew it was going to be a tricky wicket. So just being proactive out there. You know, all the guys that had a bat, had a really good method and trying to take the game on and kept the runs ticking over.

And, yeah, ultimately it worked out. And then from a series point of view, how proud are you of the group that you're able to bounce back after that blip in that first first match? Oh, yeah, immensely proud. You know, we spent a lot of time together. the group over the years. So we knew we weren't out our best at Perth,

but it was never as bad as, you know, it seems. So, you know, you stick tight and double down on what makes us a really good side. And, you know, we managed to have a lot of fun along the way as well. You know, absolutely love playing alongside these guys. And, yeah, some success at the end is always nice. You hold every bilateral trophy, plus the World Cup, plus the Test Championship trophy as well.

It's a pretty amazing side that you're barred off. Yeah, it's been, it's such a special group. I feel so privileged to, first of all, have this job, but what we've been able to achieve together alongside the support staff as well. It's such a group effort, families as well, they give up so much. So, yeah, really proud with what we've been able to achieve. As I said, we're also hopefully having the best time in our lives as we're doing it together as well.

So, yeah, pretty satisfied at the moment. You've had a group that have really stuck together over the years, but how important was it to be able to blood some new players in and to see the efforts that they were able to put in their first test matches? Yeah, it's always nice. You know, we always talk about needing a squad, especially in these five test match series, you're rarely going to play the same 11.

And, you know, three debutants, this series all came in, fit it in really well and contributed at different times. So that's always, yeah, it's always great. Yeah, Bo, you know, on his debut match this game as well, I thought was fantastic. So, yeah, it feels like we're building something nice. Yeah, your own contributions as well with the back. You talked about lower order runs in the last test match,

but also in the wickets, your own performances to be able to lead from the front pat, a word on that? Yeah, pretty happy with how, you know, I played throughout the series. I thought our planning and prep coming in was really good. I was lucky I had a bit of a fresh up leading to the series, and I think that really helped me and a couple of other guys. So these are the big series that you try and. you know, peak four and happy with our play.

And some senior players providing the runs as well with the likes of Steve Smith back-to-back centuries and Travis had an outstanding series for him. Yeah, some key moments. You know, some of our mainstays, yeah, really stood up. So I think you need to do that to be a side like India. And those key moments, we had, you know, guys who put up a hand and won the match for us.

Final words on that contest with India. I mean, it drew so many people to watch and the crowds have just been sensational throughout this series. Yeah, that's right. I think it'll go down as one of my favourite series to play. You know, thanks to Rowett and Jasper and Gottem for an amazing series. But I think the fans of what made this series, you know, every venue was incredible.

MCG last week was off its head and I think three sellouts in three days here in Sydney. It's just really special. I think it shows why test cricket is the best format and why we love playing it so much. And the significance of being able to lift the trophy here today on day three. Jay Magrardo. Yeah, that's right. It's such a special day in the calendar. As a Sydney cider as well, it's always, it's something I grew up with. It's now,

I think, 15 plus years and see everyone turn out in pink, celebrate an amazing cause. Yeah, it's just a great way to kick off the year. Well, congratulations once again, Pat. You can now invite your team up alongside the great Alan Border and be able to lift that trophy. India have held it since 2017. Australia have just won it back. They win. the Border Gavaskar Trophy 3-1 As the Australians take to the podium shake the great Alan Borders hand here at the SCG Tell you what, there was 47,000 here or thereabouts again today

and a whole heap of them are still here for that presentation hearing from the player of the series in the Indian captain Jasprit Bumra the player of the match Scott Boland and the Australian winning captain Pat Cummins You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Darren Lehman, Stuart Clark. I'm Andrew Moore here on the... Bring more gear, carry more passengers, face greater challenges.

Welcome to the world of Defender, with seating up to eight, ample cargo space, and legendary off-road capability. It's built to make the most of every adventure. Learn more at landrover.ca. of the SCG and the bright sunshine and Australia has won this test match by six wickets with Bo Webster and Travis Head putting on an unbeaten 58 to steer Australia to a 3-1 series victory and they regain the border Gabbasgard Trophy and there are plenty of smiles on those Australian faces

I'm not sure there's any bigger Darren than Boe Webster up there he stands tall above them all after a stunning debut well you can't you it's not too hard He's a big boy. I mean, yeah, well done to everyone involved. Support staff players, the way they played, the way they went about it. And to get control, 3-1 was exceptional. So they'll be overjoyed.

I mean, the interesting one, Nathan Lyon didn't do much of his game, did he, for a normal Sydney track. So that was a bit of a surprise. Absolutely. He did not have much the whole series, to be fair, but he hasn't had the wickets that conduce him to spin bowling. They've all seemed a bit, and our quicks, they've done a great job. I love the wingers. I think that's the wingers. Maybe this one a little less.

But I think the wickets for the ashes, that's what they should produce. When you come to Australia, you've got to expect our bouncy quick wickets because that's what we're known for. So, you know, you go to India, you get turning in low slow tracks. You go to England, you get them to swing and the balls. These are good wickets. There's been a criticism out here in recent years, hasn't it? Like, why aren't the wickets bouncy, pacy seeming around?

That suits Australia. It doesn't suit the opposition. I'm tired of people bagging the wicket here because it has been, look, the last couple years it's been low and slow. This one's got a fraction too much. By the way, a serious attendance. record, Australia v India. 837,879 people have made their way

two test matches over the past six or seven weeks. Perth, Adelaide Oval, Gaba, MCG and here at the SCG. Pat, what a series and what a win and a low-scoring thriller here in Sydney. Thanks, yeah, that was amazing, amazing series. Always like them a little bit more stress-free than Well, they always turn out to be, but that was a thrilling end to a great series. Remember you, back of the toss, it's only three days ago. It seems like 14 days of action ago, where Jasper won the toss elected a bat.

And you were asked by Ravi Shastry, what would you have done? He said, yeah, I think we would have batted first. Almost a poison chalice winning a toss on that pitch, the type of which we haven't seen at this ground for quite some time. What did you make of it ultimately? Yeah, I don't think the toss would have made much of the difference, to be honest. You know, kind of quickened up, probably got a little bit harder to bat. harder than probably easy to bat

but it was certainly different to our SCD wicket I mean I prefer that to a flattie but it was certainly a bit in for the bowlers all throughout and mate you congratulations you and the support team you've won every trophy now you must be extremely proud of this group even the young guys come in throughout the series and the support staff the whole lot

absolutely it's as you know Buffett takes more than just 11 players it's you know a squad of probably 30 or 40 by the time you had in families and staff and all that kind of stuff and yeah just so proud of everyone it's been great fun you know everyone contributes so much

and the families are so important to this two weeks and it's quite special what now what now for you well my wife's 37 weeks or so it's a bit of a waiting game for me at the moment so not too sure

but yeah mainly at home waiting and you're not going to Sri Lanka is that right at this stage probably not so yeah you never know exactly when the baby's going to come but still holding out a bit of hope but we'll see Stewie.

There's always a big bash, and the Sixers need some bowlers. So if you haven't got anything on, I know some people that can make some calls. Are you interested? Mate, I'm Thunder through and through. What about the celebrations tonight? What are we going to do? I don't know. I think for the bowlers, we're pretty cooked, so probably two beers and sit quietly in a corner.

It's always good to sit back in the change room and have a few beers and talk about the series and get the families in and maybe see some of the Indians want to come in for a good day. Yeah, see how we go. Is it still that you get that moment of quiet time and going back a few years now that obviously everyone comes in and it's a circus for a period of time, but do you still get that moment of reflection

where you actually sit back and think, geez, that's been a hard fought five weeks? Yeah, you do. You know, I think this year, particularly we've got a little bit of a break. A lot of the time it is, you kind of got half an eye on what's next. You're normally flying off to an ODI or a big dash, but, you know, an early finish, hopefully gives us a bit of time to sit around tonight

and, yeah, chats for a few stories. And you guys have been great with the McGrath's just been one of the ledgers of the game. You get right behind it. How has that been behind the scenes for the whole team? Yeah, it's such a wonderful day each year. You know, you're going to turn up and it's going to be full of pink and close to your sellout. And that's what this year is. Well, the first three-day sell-outs.

But, you know, seen pitch around, even the photos leading into the week. It does just add that little bit extra. You've got Boxing Day, which is obviously massive after Christmas. but coming here for the new year's pink day test is always massive. You mentioned, you know, maybe the Indians will come in for a beer, which is the way it used to be done. Such a competitive series and there's things going on on the field that's going to happen from time to time.

And I think media perhaps makes a lot more of it than players do. But what's the relationship like between the two teams at the end of this series? Yeah, always very good. Yeah, you're probably right. Probably more's made of it sometimes than there actually is. You know, nowadays, whoever we play, there's normally some franchise connection. know a few of the guys whether it's Indians or, you know, it gets spicy at times, but it normally

gets left out there. You mentioned that fast bowlers where cooked, Nathan Lyons should be all right, one over in Adelaide and only a few here at the SCG, but, you know, getting through a five-test series and it's so compacted these days and high tension, high stress, how does the body feel? It feels all right. A little bit sore at this test match than the previous four, but all good pains, expected kind of after the series but again the medical team are amazing

it's not just the last couple months but it's all the prep for the last six months to go into a series like this and you know we always talk about you need a squad and having someone like Scotty Boland or Boe Webs to come in at the right times makes a big difference hey Patty job well done great series so much fun to watch a record

crowd over the five test matches well over 830,000 which is remarkable the atmospheres have been really special as they have been here over the last few days congrats on the series and more importantly, good luck over the next few weeks. Thanks very much. Cheers, guys.

Good on, Patty. Pat Cummins, the McGilveray medalist as ABC Test Cricketer of the year for 2024. Alison Mitchell, it's almost hard just to get a breather, even with what we do, just to relax and take in what we've seen, not only at the last two and a half days, but at the last five tests. Yeah, you just need to take a little bit of a step back, don't you, and try and view every day of this five-match series, which has gone on for the best part of two whole months. And there's so many moments, which I've forgotten, which when you hear, highlight you think god you know i can't believe that happened i'd forgotten that happened for example

gyaswell being bold first ball of the pink ball test in adelaide what a moment that was even in itself after australia needing to bounce back from the win in perth that was just one little moment of such impact at the time but if you'd ask me a few moments god completely forgotten that that happened such as being the series buff do you have one memory in particular i know it's virtually impossible to take away from what we've seen over the last five tests in a great Australian win? Easy one. Boomer is bowling in Perth.

Right. Kick off the series and win the first test match. So that was just unbelievable. He blew Australia away on his own. Saraj went on the back of that. Rana, they all got involved. But Boomer, have you not seen him live enough? And you see him live and you go, wow-wee.

He rushed every batter. He nipped the ball. He swung it away, swung it back in, nipped it, bounced you, did what he knew. just blew Australia top board apart the first thing is the secondings and I went maybe I'm watching something special

with this guy I knew he was good like you knew he was good at his T20 record and everything was good but you hadn't seen his test record up close you know he knew his record was good

but when you see him up close in Perth I went wow and then it just got better better and better to hear the honesty of Usman Kowager down there where he said I've just been boomered

this whole series and to talk of the palpable relief that the Australians had in that dressing room when they realised Darren that he wasn't coming out today. And he was really honest about it wasn't he? He said that all they were looking for was him this morning, whether he was warming up, he didn't

warm up, and then when the change of energy he didn't warm up either and they just went and then all of a sudden our folks came out and went five and over. Stuart Clark welcome back to you, my man, your lasting memory of this series may well be what?

Oh, look, Boomer is hard to go past. He was so special. I thought the interesting part from me, Virot College just sticks in my mind. So last time we're going to see him in Australia, the intensity he had in Melbourne, and people said he was cranky, maybe, but he came with this intensity, and then he had the same intensity this game, and then when Boomer went off injured, the intensity went to a whole new level. He was so animated throughout this match that for me, the memory is test cricket

means something to him. With all the riches of the IPL, with all the success in the World Cups and the One Day and the T20 tournaments and all the rest of it, test cricket still means something to Virat Coley, arguably the biggest name in the world. It's well said to you because we won't see him back here

and there'll be lots of discussion points about his where they stand now that have lost 3-1. I think you play at home and I think Roelts Sharma might play at home but that might be their last series because they're going to have a change your guard somewhere they've got a really big series in England this winter do they go there will they have success with that same side

the wickets will swing they'll seem a little bit and he's just nicking everything now he's just a little fraction off the pace still a great player made that very good 100 in Perth but I'm probably thinking you know and there'll be discussion points for some of our batters as well you know that age gap you lose a little bit he's been such a good player he keeps test cricket on the map and you need India to keep test cricket on the map

we all do it's probably quite a good thing for some of those senior players and likes of Koli and Rohit Sharma. I mean, what a story that was coming into this test match. The will, he won't, he, the perceived mystery surrounding his admission from the side and in them coming out to feel the need to clarify that he stood himself down. But for those guys now, there's a big gap before that England series

and in that there's a champions trophy and then the IPL. And we know with India, IPL form is as good as red ball form for getting sort of yourself back into the test groove and getting into a test side as well. If those guys go out and refine their form with a strong Champions Trophy performance, then a lot of the ills here could be sort of put away by the time the England test series comes around. Of course, yep, the scrutiny then restarts, but it could be a bit of a reset that, say, Coley in particular, needs before then that England series rears its head.

For me, it's the atmosphere of the whole series. And I go back, not even MCG or here at the SCG, but listening to the first two and a half hours of the broadcast, while I was going on a road trip that very first day and hearing Euboff before the game and he just presented the test cap to Nathan McSweeney listening to Glenn McGrath talking about it and Tom Moody and Ali

and I was driving, I was that pumped for the start of that series to hear Jimmy call the first ball and get the early wickets and India are in trouble at three for not very many and then to learn Australia fall back and good crowds of 30,000 plus in Perth and it grew from there

whether it's listening to the radio watching on TV or being it, for me Adelaide and here, just remarkable crowds and remarkable atmospheres and it's rare things live up to your expectation. This did the whole way through. I remember in Perth saying that build-up and I was in Perth for a good sort of four or five days before day one of the test match and just absorbing the media interest in the hype and I think I've commented on the outfit beforehand that that kind of media hype is usually reserved for an Ashes series. You know, the niggle that the stories, the off-field stories, and the way they develop

and that certainly went throughout the series didn't it after the Consta's Koli shoulder bump and then what happened at the airport with Koli

and then the off-field with Rohit Shama so that the stories and almost sort of the media becoming that third player for the Australian team and it can go the other way

as well if Australian team are losing but that yeah that hype was there and the series has been highly charged and it remained that way throughout and particular

the Travis Head moment at Adelaide when he brings up his hundred. The crowd's so for him then. And then the wicket with Siraj, the blue touch paper was lit, the crowd fully involved, invested in the series for every single ball from that moment in, even if they weren't already. We've used the term a lot, but it was amazing theatre for five test matches. The TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Well, thank you for listening to our coverage of what has been a thrilling series. Look out for much more commentary from

Australia, including the BBL, and from Saturday the 11th of January, the women's ashes. Any thanks? Bye-bye. Hello, Gary Lineca here. Join myself, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards for The Rest is Football, the essential podcast for football fans. We'll be bringing strong opinions on all the latest stories from the Premier League and indeed the wider world of football in a show that combines topical debate with the most

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