Pat Cummins Aims to Secure Test Series Victory Against India
With a record of 62 Tests to his name, Cummins emphasized the importance of winning at home, stating, "Most Australians, me included, expect us to do well whenever we play at home." This sentiment resonates deeply, particularly given that Australia has not managed to secure the Border-Gavaskar Trophy since the 2014-15 season.
Australian captain Pat Cummins is determined to achieve a Test series victory against India, a feat he has yet to accomplish in his career. As the Border-Gavaskar Trophy approaches, commencing with the first match in Perth on November 22, Cummins expressed his desire to finally tick this milestone off his list.
Although under Cummins’ leadership Australia has claimed the World Test Championship, the ODI World Cup, and the Ashes—successfully overcoming India in both limited-overs formats—the Test series victory has eluded him. "It's kind of the one big thing that I want to tick off," Cummins remarked during the launch of his book.
With a record of 62 Tests to his name, Cummins emphasized the importance of winning at home, stating, "Most Australians, me included, expect us to do well whenever we play at home." This sentiment resonates deeply, particularly given that Australia has not managed to secure the Border-Gavaskar Trophy since the 2014-15 season. India has dominated the series, winning four consecutive times, including historic triumphs during their tours in 2018-19 and 2020-21.
Reflecting on past performances, Cummins acknowledged, "We've lost the two series against them, so this is a big one. We feel like our team's in a really good place, so we've got no reason why we shouldn't perform really well." He remains optimistic, expecting high standards from his team against any opponent but recognizes the significance of this upcoming series against India.
India, having faced challenges of their own, is under pressure after suffering their first home series loss since 2012 to New Zealand. With captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli struggling for runs, Cummins noted that facing a team under pressure could be advantageous. "I think any time a team's under pressure, it's not a bad thing if you're playing against them," he remarked, but also acknowledged the resilience of the Indian side. "But they've been out here before and performed well. Our job is to try and keep them quiet, see how we go."
The five-match series will be crucial for both teams as part of the World Test Championship and promises to be a highly competitive showdown starting November 22 in Perth.
