India’s chances of reaching the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final were extinguished following their defeat in the fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 Test in Sydney.
The loss at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) marked Australia’s first Test series win over India in a decade, ending a run of four consecutive series defeats to the Asian side, including two at home. Pat Cummins’ team also secured their spot in the ICC WTC 2023-25 final.
India began the series with a dominant 295-run victory in Perth but faced setbacks in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney, ultimately surrendering the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after holding it for eight years.
BGT 2024-25: 3 India Squad Players Who Didn’t Get a Chance in the Playing XI
Abhimanyu Easwaran
Abhimanyu Easwaran, named as a backup opener for the series, must have been disappointed not to feature in the playing XI, especially in the first Test in Perth when India needed a replacement for the injured Rohit Sharma. Instead, KL Rahul was tasked with opening, and his impressive performances in Adelaide and Brisbane helped him retain his place. Despite an excellent First-Class average of 48 from 101 matches, Easwaran’s poor showings in the two warm-up games against Australia A—where he scored 7, 12, 0, and 17—led to his exclusion from the playing XI.
Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz Khan’s inclusion in the squad came after a strong domestic season, including a brilliant 150 against New Zealand in Pune. However, inconsistent performances in subsequent matches—scoring just 11, 9, 0, and 1—resulted in him slipping down the batting order. With Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill returning to the side, India opted for Dhruv Jurel and Devdutt Padikkal to fill in during their absence. Sarfaraz’s struggle against high pace and extra bounce made him less likely to feature in the Perth Test. Nonetheless, his ability to score quickly may still earn him a place in the squad for the upcoming England tour.
Tanush Kotian (Part of Last 2 Tests Only)
Tanush Kotian, a 26-year-old off-spin all-rounder from Mumbai, joined the squad after Ravi Ashwin’s sudden retirement following the third Test. However, with Washington Sundar already in the lineup, Kotian didn’t get an opportunity in the final two Tests of the series.