Australia’s Test captain, Pat Cummins, offered a lighthearted yet cheeky remark when discussing possible excuses should his team fail to win the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series against India, beginning November 22, 2024. With the pressure of potentially losing a third consecutive BGT at home, Cummins joked about finding a reason if they come up short again against the Men in Blue.
Australia’s dominance over India on home soil was shattered in the 2018-19 series when India, led by Virat Kohli, secured a 2-1 victory, marking their first-ever series win in Australia. They followed it up with another 2-1 triumph in 2020-21, a series famous for India’s resilience, including their historic win at The Gabba.
In a candid conversation on the Grade Cricketer podcast, Cummins reflected on the pain of the 2018-19 defeat, admitting it stung more than the 2020-21 series loss, which he described as “quite tightly fought.” He acknowledged that in 2018-19, India comprehensively outplayed Australia, making that loss particularly hard to swallow.
WATCH – Virat Kohli Falls To Surprising Full-Toss Against New Zealand In Pune Test
In contrast, Pat Cummins felt that the 2020-21 series, despite India’s iconic Gabba victory, was more competitive. “I thought the series before that [2018-19] was worse because we got completely beaten. That series [2020-21] was quite tightly fought. They played fantastically well to win at The Gabba, but the previous one hurt more,” Pat Cummins admitted.
— DeepTake II (@DeepTakeBackUp) October 24, 2024
Australia was without their key players David Warner and Steve Smith in 2018-19 due to their suspensions from the infamous ball-tampering scandal, something many saw as a valid excuse for their defeat.
In a humorous exchange, the interviewer pointed out that with no such absences this time around, excuses would be hard to come by. Cummins quickly responded, “I will find some (smiles). He [Cameron Green] was going to open the batting and bowling.”
ALSO READ: Sunil Gavaskar’s Surprising U-Turn On Washington Sundar’s Selection In Second Test
The highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 series runs from November 22 to January 7, with all-rounder Cameron Green already ruled out due to a back injury requiring surgery. Green’s absence adds a challenge for Australia as they prepare to face a formidable Indian side once again.
