AUS vs IND 2024: Cummins backs Steve Smith to come good in series against India

Games starting at 0-0, is a cliche that has recurred in most pre-match press conferences out here Down Under. Pat Cummins too sought refuge in this statistic while refusing to be drawn into whether the Gabba or other Australian venues would be deemed a fortress.

Addressing the media here on Friday, Cummins said: “It’s just a venue, really. We play in dozens of venues around the world. It’s always good to come back to a place that’s familiar. You can look at times where you might have scored runs or bowled well, that really helps. The scoreboard starts at 0-0, so the venue isn’t relevant any more.”

In a topsy-turvy series so far, there has been some criticism of both Cummins and Rohit Sharma. The Australian captain offered his perspective: “There’s always pressure when you are playing Test cricket. When you are captain, a lot of that falls on you. It’s nothing new. At Perth, we didn’t play our best. In some ways, a lot of criticism is valid. Some of it isn’t.”

Cummins stressed that Josh Hazlewood will replace Scott Boland in the playing eleven for the third Test: “Josh has had no hiccups. It is tough on Scotty, probably he will get another crack later. There’s always some form of natural attrition throughout a Test series, it’s a good thing he has played a Test earlier in the series.”

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The speedster was not averse to replicating the short-ball tactics against the Indians: “It’s always in the back of your mind as a bit of a Plan B. It worked in Adelaide, so I am sure we will give it a shot at some point.” And as for Steve Smith, Cummins added: “His record is huge and stats suggest that (a big knock) is not far.”