IND vs AUS, BGT 2024-25: 5 takeaways from India's Border-Gavaskar Trophy loss after 10 years

An out-of-sorts batting order and over reliance on Jasprit Bumrah led India's downfall at the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 against Australia as the visitors lost 1-3 in the five-match series to lose the title after 10 years. Australia defeated India in the final Test in Sydney on Sunday by six wickets to march into the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa to be played in June later this year.

Coming after a 0-3 drubbing at the hands of New Zealand at home, India needed to win atleast four of the five Tests against Australia to qualify for the WTC final. Despite missing regular skipper Rohit Sharma in the first Test in Perth, India started with a bang, winning the game by 295 runs. There India lost the plot with three losses in four games.

5 key takeaways from India's BGT 2024-25 loss

Fragile batting order

If one thing has to be blamed for India's loss, its their fragile batting order. Only twice across 10 innings, India were able to cross the 300-run mark. Although India had three centurions - Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli (first Test) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (4th Test) - on the tour, on rest of the occasions, the Indian batting order looked clueless as none had the patience to grind it out in the middle. The biggest disappointment were Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant as they collective 476 runs. Jaiswal emerged as India's top run-getter with 391 runs.

Over reliance on Jasprit Bumrah

India paid price for heavily relying on Jasprit Bumrah. While the India vice-captain kept the visitors alive time and again with 32 wickets in the series, the premier fast bowler lacked support from his teammates. Mohammed Siraj did finish the series with 19 wickets, but a little more support from the likes of Akash Deep, Harshit rana and the spinners would have been helpful.

Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma's poor forms

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma made a lot of difference for India at the top of the order. With a reputation of scoring big in Australia, Kohli started the tour with a bang with an unbeaten 100 and 5 in the first Test in Perth. However, his runs from the bat dried up thereafter as the stylish right-hander managed just 85 runs in his next seven innings. In fact, Kohli edged at slips eight time in his nine innings while chasing deliveries outside off-stump.

For Rohit, the Indian captain seemed he forgot to play the waiting game. In his five innings, Rohit's highest score was 10 and gifted his wicket away on most occasions.

Rohit Sharma's captaincy

Another major reason for India's loss was Rohit Sharma's tactical blunders. Known to be one of the straightforward captains and one who backs his players, India played chop and change in every game, thus disbalancing the team combination. India played three different spinners in the first three Tests while rookie Harshit Rana was preferred over experienced Akash Deep in the pink-ball Test match in Adelaide.

Another notable change that questioned Rohit's captaincy skills was picking Washington Sundar in place of Shubman Gill in the fourth Test in Melbourne. To conclude, Rohit looked clueless as a captain on the field during the whole series.

Emergence of Nitish Kumar Reddy

Last by not the least, India unearthed a gem in Nitish Kumar Reddy, possibly a replacement for Hardik Pandya in Tests. A seam bowling all-rounder, Reddy proved why he is needed at No.6 in the longest format of the game as the Andhra Pradesh cricketer recorded scores of 41, 38 not out, 42, 42, 16, 114, 1, 0 and 4. In fact, his maiden ton in Melbourne saved India off the blushes in the first innings. With the ball, Reddy also proved effective as he gave the team important breakthroughs.