Australia’s Test captain Pat Cummins is well aware of the fact that the new ball bowlers don’t get a lot of help in the subcontinent conditions. Australia is all set to tour India for four-match Test series and named their 18-man squad on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the last time Australia won a Test series was back in 2004 when Adam Gilchrist led the team. In fact, India last lost a Test series in home conditions back in 2012 against England.
Furthermore, India has beaten Australia by 2-1 in their last two tours of Downunder. Australia has savored great success in their home conditions but they haven’t been able to topple India. The Pat Cummins-led recently bested West Indies and South Africa by 2-0 in their home summer.
Cummins said his team wants to follow in the footsteps of the 2004 team.
Pat Cummins said on the Amazon documentary, the Test, “They won in India, they won in England. “That Test team (of 2004), no matter where they (went) in the world, they could adapt. That’s the gold standard. That’s what you aspire to.”
Speaking on his strategy of playing in the tough subcontinent conditions, Cummins said, “In Australia, you keep the field in with the new ball, try and make the most of it. In the subcontinent, it’s the opposite. The new ball does nothing, so you put the field out to stop the ball just pinging off the bat and then you hope it starts reversing. Then you sense an opportunity, and that’s when you go ‘voom’.”
Australia has been in good form but adjusting to the difficult conditions will be a challenge for their team. The Aussies have a good batting line-up with Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, and Travis Head. Furthermore, they have experience in the bowling line-up as Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, and Mitchell Starc will add value to the team.
The first Test match between India and Australia will be played at Nagpur from February 9.
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (captain), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner.
