Australia’s cricket stars – Sam Konstas, Steve Smith, Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins, Sean Abbott, and Mitchell Starc – celebrated their Border-Gavaskar Trophy win at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday. The victory not only marked a decade-long wait to defeat India in a Test series but also secured Australia’s place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa in June at Lord’s.

Australia’s skipper Pat Cummins expressed his excitement, emphasizing the importance of defending their WTC title. “Winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is incredible, but earning our spot in the WTC final makes it even more special,” said Cummins. “This tournament is about consistent performance across different conditions and teams. We’re proud to be back in the final and can’t wait for the challenge.”

The WTC final will feature the top-performing Test teams over the past two years. South Africa secured their spot with a thrilling two-wicket win against Pakistan last month under the WTC’s average points system. Meanwhile, Australia will play two Tests in Sri Lanka later this month before taking a long red-ball break leading into the big clash.

However, Cummins is likely to miss the Sri Lanka series as he prepares for the birth of his second child. In his absence, Steve Smith is expected to step in as captain. Despite this temporary handover, Cummins is not ready to give up his leadership role anytime soon. “I absolutely love leading this team,” he said. “It’s such a rewarding experience, and I want to continue for as long as I can.”

For India, the series loss against Australia raised big questions about their future in Test cricket. Star players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma struggled to perform consistently, leaving fans and experts concerned. India lost the series 3-1 after a six-wicket defeat in the final Test in Sydney. This followed a disappointing 3-0 home loss to New Zealand, putting India out of contention for the WTC final.

Rohit, 37, missed the first Test due to the birth of his second child and managed only 31 runs across three matches. Kohli, 36, shined briefly with an unbeaten century in the first game but failed to deliver afterward. With six losses in their last eight Tests, India now faces a tough decision about its veteran players ahead of their England tour in June-July.

Former captain Sunil Gavaskar didn’t hold back his criticism, calling for a cultural shift in Indian cricket. “The next few days are crucial for Indian cricket to reflect honestly,” he said. “The star culture must end. Commitment to Indian cricket should be non-negotiable.”

Gavaskar also took aim at players skipping domestic games to regain form, urging the cricket board to enforce stricter policies. “Indian cricket must come first,” he added. “Players need to prioritize national duties over personal choices. It’s time to stop pampering anyone.”

India’s upcoming five-match Test series in England will be a critical moment for selectors as they decide the future of Kohli, Rohit, and the team’s direction moving forward.