FILE PHOTO: Cricket - Ashes - Fifth Test - England v Australia - The Oval, London, Britain - July 29, 2023 Australia's Pat Cummins Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers/File Photo
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia skipper Pat Cummins spoke of his pride in his team after they rebounded from losing the opening test against India to clinch the series 3-1 on Sunday and win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade.
The six-wicket victory in the fifth test in Sydney also secured his team the right to defend the World Test Championship (WTC) title against South Africa at Lord's in June.
"It felt like it was kind of seesawing throughout the whole series so to finish it 3-1, to hold the trophy, is an amazing feeling," he told reporters.
"And then I think the extra layer is now securing a spot in the World Test Championship final, which was always a huge goal for us in this cycle and we've done it. So really satisfied."
With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy safely in the cabinet, Australia now hold all the bilateral titles they play for in the longest format as well as the WTC crown they won by beating India in 2023.
"I didn't know that we'd won kind of everything until half an hour ago but that's always the aim," he said.
"One of the things I love most about test cricket is it challenges you in so many different ways. You need more than 11 players, you need an amazing squad, you need amazing support staff to be able to win everywhere in the world.
"So I think that consistency over a few years to do that with a very similar squad has been massive."
One player who has played only an occasional role in Australia's success is Scott Boland, the back-up pace bowler who was named Player of the Match for his 10-wicket haul in Sydney.
"He's just so good Scotty, I love him," said Cummins.
"As a captain he's a dream, because he just loves bowling. You know what you're going to get from Scotty and it's class every day. So happy for him to take a 10-fer."
Cummins said he was unlikely to tour Sri Lanka in February but was looking forward to locking horns with the Proteas in London in June for the WTC title.
"It's the trophy we're really proud to hold, so we want to go back and defend it," he said.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
