After a thrilling Boxing Day Test triumph Australian captain Pat Cummins rates “right at the top” of his celebrated career, the Test team’s focus will turn to ensuring the nation retains its focus to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

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The Australians will head to Sydney on Tuesday on a high with a 2-1 series lead but are mindful India can maintain its decade long hold on the prized trophy if successful at the SCG.

Cummins acknowledged there are challenges for the Test side after its 184-run win in a record-breaking MCG Test, with Mitchell Starc’s fitness the chief concern.

The form of reigning Allan Border Medallist Mitch Marsh is also a worry, with the Australians likely to announce whether there are any additions to the Test squad in coming days.

But after five days of toil in a Test that broke a Bradman-era record with an attendance of 373,391, Cummins and the Australian crew were keen to put their feet up for the night and celebrate a mighty victory.

“It’s a short turnaround (but) I think we will definitely savour this one,” he said.

“You work so hard over five days to win a Test match like this, (so) I’m sure there’ll be a lot of sitting around tonight and a couple of boys might have a beer, some others might not. (They will) have water and some protein shakes and an early night. But we’ll save this for a couple of hours at least and then it’ll be recovery for the next few days.

“I’m sure the batters will have a hit (in Sydney) but the bowlers, I dare say, will be very light on. And then you gear up again for the last Test of the summer. So (it will be a) mix of happiness and rest, I reckon, over the next three days.”

Having dictated terms for the first three days of the Test, the Australians lost momentum for a period on Day Four when a Jasprit Bumrah-blitz rattled the middle order.

After an Australian bowling performance Cummins rated “close to perfection” that reduced India to 3-33, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant found rhythm to frustrate the hosts.

But a rash shot from Pant, who offered an outfield catch to Marsh off the bowling of Travis Head, and the contentious dismissal of Jaiswal off a beauty from Cummins wrested momentum back Australia’s way.

Both Rohit Sharma, who said India will head to the SCG determined to fight for a success that would tie the series, and Cummins acknowledged Jaiswal had hit the ball despite technology failing to pick up a sound.

The Australian captain said he knew immediately they had secured a critical breakthrough.

“I think it was clear that he hit it. I heard a noise (and) saw deviation. So I was absolutely certain that he hit it,” Cummins said.

“As soon as we referred it, you could see him drop his head and basically acknowledge that he hit it.”

India lost 7-35 after Pant’s dismissal, with Cummins, Starc, Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon all contributing to clinch a victory with just under 13 overs remaining in front of 74,362 fans.

Cummins was named Man of the Match after securing six wickets and making 90 runs.

“Just about everyone as we were walking off was trying to work out where it sits (but) I reckon that’s right at the top. Edgbaston (in 2023) was pretty special, and I reckon that’s pretty much on par. That was amazing,” he said.

“I think … when you take all that into account, it’s probably the best Test match I’ve been involved in, in terms of 80-odd thousand for the first three days – (and) I don’t know what the crowd was today, but it was huge.

“(It) felt like (momentum) swung a lot as well. It never felt like we were so far ahead of the game that a win looked certain, so overall, it was one of those great wins.”

Starc appeared sore again on Monday and Cummins checked in with the star quick several times. But even injured, the left-arm quick was in menacing form and bowled up to 145km/h.

He secured the critical wicket of Indian icon Virat Kohli on lunch and finished with 1-25 from 16 overs, with his precision and the pressure he applied superb.

“I think every fast bowler knows that the first ball of a spell when you are a bit sore, it always hurts a little bit more,” Cummins said.

“I’m pretty confident he’ll be fine. We will reassess in a couple of days. But yeah, he’s managing a couple of sore bits, I think, mainly one saw bit … on his ribs or something.

“But he’s a warrior. He gets through. His pace didn’t drop off. He never even contemplated not being an option to bowl. So other than being in pain, he’s fully fit and available.”

Should Starc be unavailable, Jhye Richardson or Sean Abbott looms as a bowling replacement.

Beau Webster is clearly an option if a change is made with Marsh, but the Australians have continued to be rewarded in recent years for showing faith with incumbents.