3 big positives for Team India from their defeat in the 2024/25 BGT Test series ft. Yashasvi Jaiswal

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy eluded India and settled in Australia's welcoming hands at the Sydney Cricket Ground as the hosts came out on top by six wickets on Sunday, January 5. With the win in the final Test, the series finished 2-1 in favor of the Kangaroos.

India can no longer qualify for the final of the World Test Championship and will miss out on the event for the first time in three cycles. There's plenty of uncertainty surrounding the side, with head coach Gautam Gambhir coming under fire and senior players failing to step up.

At the same time, however, there are reasons for the two-time WTC finalists to be upbeat about their future. On that note, here are three big positives for Team India from their defeat in the Test series against Australia.

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#3 India were nowhere near their best, and yet could've survived in the series

Australia V India - Cricket Test Press Conference - Source: Getty

Had Jasprit Bumrah been fit to bowl on Day 3 of the Sydney Test, what would've happened? Australian opener Usman Khawaja has revealed that the hosts were glad they didn't have to face Bumrah, who could've easily run through the batting lineup in helpful conditions.

While it's impossible to say what would've transpired with certainty, India will take heart from the fact that they were in with a real shot of retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. They came into the series as clear underdogs and were nowhere near their best, but they still managed to give themselves a fighting chance.

Of course, luck played a part, with the Gabba Test ending without a result and the toss working in their favor in Perth. However, as India looks to commence the next edition of the World Test Championship with a high-octane tour of England, the fact that they came close will please them.

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#2 Young players in the squad got valuable exposure

India Men's Test Squad Training Session - Source: Getty

India rocked up on Aussie shores with several inexperienced players in their ranks. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Tanush Kotian, Akash Deep, Devdutt Padikkal, Sarfaraz Khan, Abhimanyu Easwaran and Dhruv Jurel were all on their first tour of Australia with the senior team.

Not all of the above players featured in the XI, but they would've gotten some valuable exposure to conditions Down Under. Most of them are on the right side of 30 and will form the core of the Test side going forward.

Even though the result wasn't in India's favor, this edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy could prove highly influential in the long run.

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#1 Among those, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Reddy stood out

Australia v India - Men's 5th Test Match: Day 2 - Source: Getty

Among those youngsters, the form of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Kumar Reddy stood out. The duo, who played all five Tests, came up with a series of notable displays to give the think tank the confidence that the ongoing transition will be a smooth one.

Jaiswal and Nitish's ability to adapt on the fly stood out the most. The opening batter constantly changed his technique and general approach, with his Perth ton and twin fifties in Melbourne being knocks of high quality. Nitish notched up a century of his own and appeared composed in the middle while also providing the odd breakthrough.

India have been searching for a reliable opener and pace-bowling all-rounder for a while now. They will come away from the Australian tour with clear positive outcomes on that front.