Australian captain Pat Cummins expects the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against arch-foes India to be more “attritional” as the two heavyweights of world cricket spar over five Test matches instead of the traditional four games.
And given the enormity of the series, Cummins believes players would not have the time to be distracted by the IPL auction that would take place in Jeddah on Sunday, the third day of the match.
The blockbuster series will be a survival of the fittest as Australia look to avenge successive losses on home soil when they go head-to-head from Friday.
“The Border-Gavaskar Trophy has always been very tight every series, five Test-match series gets really attritional, it’s a big one really,” Cummins said at the pre-match press conference here on Thursday.
Australia will be without their assistant coach Daniel Vettori, who was granted permission to leave the Perth Test and be at the two-day auction with his IPL franchise SunRisers Hyderabad.
“Yeah, I think he is there in the auction. I don’t think so (it will be a distraction). Dan has flown over there, but he has been here for the whole prep. Done all the meetings, done all the chats, watching it. We came to know that anyway,” Cummins said.
“So, for the players, I don’t think so. Most of these guys have been there in the auctions before. They know they can’t really do anything.
“You are a sitting duck and seeing whether you get selected or not. It doesn’t... Doesn’t make a difference to how we go about the first two days. It is not a distraction as far as I can see it,” he added.
The Australia captain admitted there will be pressure on the home team, especially after it lost the last four Test series against India, including the two humiliating reverses on own soil.
“There will always be pressure when you are playing at home. India are a very talented side and it will be a good challenge. But we are not looking too far ahead,” Cummins said.
“It would be great to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India are a great side but we are well prepared.”
The leading pacer also said said that newcomer Nathan McSweeney should not try to imitate David Warner, the legendary opener who retired from international cricket earlier this year.
“He should play his natural game. He shouldn’t try to imitate David Warner. That’s not his game. As long as he makes the bowlers bowl again and again, that’s his game,” Cummins said of the man who is going to be handed his Test debut at Optus Stadium.
Asked about India’s talented all-rounder Nitish Reddy, Cummins said they shared the dressing room for IPL franchise SunRisers Hyderabad and praised the 21-year-old.
“He is and impressive youngster. Didn’t bowl much for SRH. He can swing the ball and is a really talented kid.”
Interestingly, both Australia and India will be led by fast bowling captains, a rarity in international cricket. While Cummins will lead Australia, Jasprit Bumrah will be in charge of the Indian team as regular skipper Rohit Sharma is currently on a paternity leave.
“It should happen more (pacers leading teams),” Cummins said. In the past four series between the two teams, India have won on all four occasions, including back-to-back away Test series wins in 2018-19 and 2020-21.
