Australia regains Border-Gavaskar Trophy after 6-wicket win against India in 5th test

SYDNEY (AP) — Australia has regained the Border-Gavaskar trophy for the first time in 10 years by winning the fifth and final test by six wickets at the Sydney Cricket Ground against an Indian team deprived through injury of their captain and star bowler on Sunday.

The hosts chased down the 162-run target just after lunch on the third day after it had earlier wrapped up India’s second innings in quick time for 157 to win the series 3-1.

Sunday’s victory also means the hosts booked their spot in a second straight World Test Championship final where it will play the already-qualified South Africa at Lord’s in June.

“This (Border-Gavaskar Trophy) was one that a few of us didn’t have,” said Australia captain Pat Cummins. “It’s been an amazing series and it’s one of those ones that’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 lived up to all the hype.”

In a devastating setback for India’s hopes of bowling out Australia to level the series and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for a record-extending fifth consecutive time, star bowler and captain Jasprit Bumrah did not bowl during Australia's second innings.

Bumrah’s injury occurred on Saturday and had only been described as “ back spasms” by the India team after the star seamer had returned from medical scans at a nearby clinic. Bumrah had back surgery to repair a stress fracture in April 2023.

The 31-year-old, who was named man-of-the-series with his 32 wickets — the highest ever by an Indian bowler in a single series in Australia — has almost single handedly kept India in the contest throughout the summer. But he but did not warm up with the other bowlers prior to play Sunday and looked uncomfortable when he did come out to bat as India's was quickly swept up by the hosts.

“So you know, lots of ifs and buts 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,” Bumrah said. “This is how cricket goes in the nervy moments, whichever team holds their nerve for the longest and you know, sticks together and tries to find a way out of that, will win the series.”

Even without its talisman, India’s attack still sent jitters through Australia’s batting as it had the hosts at 71-3 at lunch and then removed Usman Khawaja (41) to seed more doubt.

Australia had taken 35 from the first three overs and it appeared they might wrap up the test and series before lunch.

But with India desperately needed a breakthrough they got it when Konstas (22) played a wild swipe off Prasidh Krishna with Australia 39-1.

Krishna (3-27) then added Labuschagne (6) to his tally and then the prize wicket of Steve Smith to send some jitters through Australia’s batting lineup at 58-3.

Smith managed only four of the five runs he needed to become the 15th player — and fourth Australian after Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh and Allan Border — to pass 10,000 career test runs.

But Travis Head (34 not out) — a frequent thorn in India’s side in recent years — and debutant Beau Webster (39 not out) guided Australia home for a landmark series win under Cummins.

Australia now holds every bilateral test trophy available as well as the one-day international World Cup won in India in 2023.

“Yeah, really proud with what we’ve been able to achieve,” said Cummins, who took a team-leading 25 wickets. “We’re also hopefully having the best time of our lives as we’re doing it together as well, so yeah, pretty satisfied at the moment.”

Earlier Sunday, Cummins (3-44) and Scott Boland took two wickets each to wrap up India’s innings for 157, with the tourists only able to add 16 runs to its overnight total to set Australia a target of 162 runs to win the test.

Boland, named man-of-the-match, returned 6-45 for his second career five-wicket haul and took 10 wickets in a match for the first time.

On Saturday, Rishabh Pant’s blistering half century highlighted a chaotic second day where 15 wickets fell and India reached 141-6, for a 145-run lead to leave the series very much in the balance.

Australia was earlier bowled out for 181, giving India a four-run lead on the first innings, and could not take advantage of Bumrah's absence.

Australia's 3-1 series win came after victories in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. India won the first test at Perth and the 3rd test at Brisbane was a rain-affected draw.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Australia's Beau Webster celebrates after hitting the winning runs during play on the third day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

The Australian team pose with the Border Gavaskar Trophy after defeating India in the fifth cricket test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Indian players celebrate the dismissal of Australia's Steve Smith, left, during play on the third day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

India's Virat Kohli, left, talks with umpire Sharfuddoula Saikat during play on the third day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia's Steve Smith reacts after he was dismissed during play on the third day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia's Beau Webster bats during play on the third day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia's Travis Head bats during play on the third day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia's Sam Konstas walks from the field after was dismissed during play on the third day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

India's Washington Sundar takes a catch to dismiss Australia's Sam Konstas during play on the third day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia's Steve Smith, left, reads after he was dismissed by India's Prasidh Krishna, right, during play on the third day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia's Steve Smith reacts after he was dismissed during play on the third day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

India's Jasprit Bumrah is out bowled during play on the third day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia's captain Pat Cummins, right, celebrates after dismissing India's Ravindra Jadeja, left, during play on the third day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

India's Washington Sundar is out bowled by Australia's captain Pat Cummins during play on the third day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

India's Jasprit Bumrah reacts as he is out bowled during play on the third day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia's Usman Khawaja runs to make his ground during play on the third day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

HONOLULU (AP) — A 3-year-old boy who died Monday was the fourth person to succumb to injuries from a massive explosion of fireworks on New Year's Eve at a Honolulu home, and a doctor said six others faced long recoveries in Arizona where they were sent to be treated for severe burns.

The blast killed three women and injured more than 20 people, many of whom have burns over most of their bodies.

The U.S. military flew six of the injured to Phoenix for treatment on Saturday because Hawaii’s lone burn center doesn’t have enough capacity to care for all the victims.

After the disaster, Hawaii's leaders intensified their oft-repeated calls to crack down on the state's vast illegal fireworks trade with stepped-up enforcement and greater penalties.

The six taken to Arizona are all in their 20s or 30s and have extensive burns, Dr. Kevin Foster, the director of the Arizona Burn Center, said at a news conference streamed online.

The person with the least has burns over 45% of their body while the most has burns over nearly 80% of their body. Each of the six is using a breathing tube and most are in medically induced comas.

Foster said they are all doing “very well” and have good vital signs. But it will be six months to a year before any are able to return to anything resembling a normal life, Foster said. Four patients will likely have to remain intubated and in a coma for months, he said.

The patients will likely suffer post-traumatic stress disorder, Foster said, adding the burn center has two full-time psychologists and a psychiatrist hospital on staff to help them.

“There’s something uniquely and particularly horrifying about being burned, especially from this type of injury,” Foster said. “And we anticipate that all of these patients are going to have some adjustment issues.”

Many required emergency surgery before leaving Hawaii and a number had traumatic injuries in addition to burns, because of the explosions and resulting projectiles, he said.

The Arizona Burn Center operated on all six on Sunday, performed three other surgeries Monday and plan three others Tuesday. By then, doctors should be done with removing burns and will progress to closing wounds and grafting skin, Foster said. Infections are the most dangerous and feared complication for burn patients, he said while also predicting all would likely get them at some point.

“It’s just the way burn injury works, especially when you have large percent-of-total-body-surface-area burns like this,” Foster said.

The scars, and the physical limitations that come with them, will likely be the biggest thing that the patients have to deal with and are what will make these wounds lifelong injuries, he said.

Foundations affiliated with the burn center and the hospital it is a part of, Valleywise Health, are providing housing for patient relatives. Some burn center employees have even volunteered their homes, Foster said.

Hawaii’s diverse population has long celebrated New Year’s with fireworks but in recent years professional grade aerial explosives have been growing in popularity even though they are illegal for amateurs. Neighborhoods across Oahu light up for hours as residents launch aerial fireworks into the sky from the narrow streets in front of their homes.

Honolulu authorities say a person attending a party lit a bundle of aerial fireworks, which fell on its side and shot explosives into two crates that contained additional aerials. Video of the resulting explosion shows a rapid series of blasts shooting fireworks in the air and around the front of a house.

People walk past the home where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)

A woman sweeps debris from a driveway across the street from the home where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)

Evelyn Paguirigan points to broken windows at her home across the street from where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people in Honolulu, on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)

A woman walks in front of the home where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)

A view of the home where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)

A woman stands in front of the home where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)

A damaged vehicle is seen near the home where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)

Fireworks debris is seen outside the home where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)

A view of the home where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)