Australia completed a 209-run victory over India in the World Test Championship final at The Kia Oval. Chasing 444 for victory, India were bowled out for 234 before lunch in what was their second consecutive WTC final defeat
It means Australia will head into The Ashes as world Test champions after they stamped out India’s resistance in ruthless fashion.
With just five days to go before they renew their biggest rivalry against England at Edgbaston, live on Sky Sports, Australia soared to victory, with Scott Boland providing the key breakthrough, removing star batter Virat Kohli for 49 in the seventh over of the day and making it a double strike by dismissing Ravindra Jadeja (0) two balls later.
Boland was unlikely to play until injury ruled Josh Hazlewood out but the bustling 34-year-old seamer must now be well fancied to take on Ben Stokes’ side when the opening Test beings at Edgbaston on Friday.
India chased the match since the first morning and the demise of Kohli confirmed it was a matter of when, not if, Australia would become first-time world Test champions.
Silence fell over the overwhelmingly pro-India crowd along with an air of inevitability.