Final result
Australia won by 6 wickets
Player of the match: SM Boland
Result · Test Cricket
India Cricket vs Australia
Result · Test Cricket
Venue par · 224Chase success · 47%POTM · SM Boland
Match preview & overview
Boland's 10-wicket haul seals Australia's SCG win over India
Australia Cricket beat India Cricket by 6 wickets in the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 3 January 2025. India won the toss and chose to bat, but were dismissed for 185 in their first innings, a total well below the venue's average of 224. Australia replied with 181, trailing by just 4 runs. Scott Boland then ran through India's second innings, helping dismiss the visitors for 157 to leave Australia chasing 162. They got there with 4 wickets in hand, Boland finishing the match with 10 wickets for 76 runs.
Boland's performance was the story of the match. His match figures of 10/76 from 36.8 overs kept India under relentless pressure. With the first innings lead negligible and the target well within reach on a surface that the Australian top order know well, the result turned on India's inability to build a substantial second innings.
In the series context, both sides had traded results heading into Sydney. India held victories at Bellerive Oval and Carrara Oval earlier in the summer, whilst Australia had hit back at the MCG. The SCG Test settled the matter in Australia's favour.
Pitch report & venue insights
Sydney Cricket Ground — 162-match sample
Aggregate conditions from 2002–2025. Numbers that tend to decide matches at this ground — par score, chase success, powerplay averages and toss bias.
162
T20 matches hosted
224
Avg 1st-innings score
199
Avg 2nd-innings score
47%
Chase success rate
40
Avg powerplay runs
41%
Toss-field rate
Key talking points
Moments the match hinged on
Headline angle
Boland takes 10/76 across both innings
Scott Boland was the decisive figure in this match, finishing with match figures of 10/76 from 36.8 overs. India's two totals of 185 and 157 tell the story of how consistently he and the Australia attack kept the visitors under pressure throughout.
Angle 02
India chose to bat and were bowled out for 185
Angle 03
Australia's first innings replied with 181, trailing by 4
Angle 04
India's second innings of 157 set a modest 162-run target
Angle 05
Series context made this a high-stakes finale
Betting & analytical angles
Angles the data surfaced
- On a ground where the first-innings average is 224 and both sides fell well short of that, top-order batting markets may have offered more variance than outright result lines heading into this match.
- Boland's match figures of 10/76 suggest the leading wicket-taker markets at the SCG are worth watching across this series, particularly when pace bowlers are operating in helpful conditions.
- With a chase success rate of 47 per cent at the SCG across 162 Test matches, the toss and conditions context tends to shape fourth-innings markets significantly at this venue.
- India's two totals of 185 and 157 were both below the venue's average first and second-innings scores, which may influence how team total lines are set for future Test matches here.
For editorial context only. Not a forecast and not betting advice. 18+ only, please gamble responsibly.
Frequently asked
Questions about India Cricket vs Australia
Who won the Australia vs India Test at the SCG in January 2025?
Australia Cricket won by 6 wickets. India were dismissed for 185 and 157, setting Australia a target of 162, which they reached for the loss of 4 wickets.
Who was player of the match in the SCG Test between Australia and India?
Scott Boland (SM Boland) was named player of the match after taking 10 wickets for 76 runs from 36.8 overs across both innings. It was one of the finest individual bowling performances at the Sydney Cricket Ground in recent history.
What is the head-to-head record between Australia and India in Tests?
Across all formats, Australia and India have met 171 times. India hold a narrow overall lead with 75 wins to Australia's 73, with 23 matches producing no result. In Tests specifically, the rivalry is amongst the most evenly contested in the sport.
Where can I watch Australia vs India Test cricket in the UK?
Test cricket between Australia and India is typically broadcast in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket, available via satellite, Sky Go, and NOW TV. BBC Test Match Special provides live radio commentary throughout play for every Test match.
What were the innings scores in the Sydney Test?
India scored 185 in their first innings and 157 in their second. Australia replied with 181 in their first innings, then reached the 162-run target finishing on 162 for 4 in their second.
What is the Sydney Cricket Ground's record in Test matches?
The Sydney Cricket Ground has hosted 162 Test matches. The average first-innings score is 224 and the average second-innings score is 199. Chasing sides have won approximately 47 per cent of completed matches at the venue.
Photo credits (1)
- Anil Kumble — photo by shrivsa from Bangalore, India, CC BY-SA 2.0 · source