Australian Test captain Pat Cummins has geared himself for one of the most fiercely competitive Border-Gavaskar Trophy series of all time against India. The Aussies and Indian team prepare themselves for a five-match test series that will witness plenty at stake especially before entering the marquee event of World Test Championship Finals, where both teams are hot favorites, and results can change the landscape between them overnight. India overpowered Australia with two consecutive win over the years and Aussies will be looking forward to make a comeback and clinch the prestigious title.
A Very Tough Competition Between IND & AUS
Speaking with Sydney Morning Herald, Cummins reflected on the thrilling 2020-21 series that went to the last moments of the last Test at the Gabba. A Rishabh Pant-inspired heroic innings was crucial in securing the memorable series win for India under Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy. India have won their last two tours of Australia and has retained the trophy of BGT for the last ten years, which adds to this clash.
“The couple of home series I’ve played against India there’s always an element of attrition to them. The last series came down to the last session at the Gabba on the last day of the last Test match. That’s a good thing to keep in mind; it is a long series, and it might be tightly held until the last game, so you’ve got to manage your resources throughout,” Cummins told SMH.
Cameron Green’s Injury: A Big Blow For Australia
Cummins also spoke about the injury issues of Cameron Green, the fast-bowling all-rounder who was not available for the white-ball series against England because he had a stress fracture in his back. He sympathized with Green, saying that fast bowling is a very physical activity. Enquiring if he himself has ever had the experience of handling multiple back injuries that kept him out of Test cricket for six years, Cummins emphasized management of one’s body to be able to maintain performance over long periods of time.
“Really sympathetic. We want him bowling, Cam wants to be bowling, and he has a long career ahead of him. So it’s about trying to place Cam the cricketer in the best position he can be to have the career that he’s hoping for. He’s young, so I’m sure he’ll be right in the long run,” Cummins said.
“Bowling and trying to bowl fast is unfortunately fraught with injuries. In some ways, the hardest thing is missing cricket and seeing games go by that you could have been part of, but also it can be a pretty lonely way back,” he further added.
