Australia captain Pat Cummins has officially announced that Scott Boland will be part of the playing eleven for the highly anticipated World Test Championship final against India at the Oval, taking place from 7th to 11th June. Boland has edged out Michael Neser, who was brought into the Australian squad as a replacement for the injured Josh Hazlewood. With an impressive track record in the longest format of the game, the right-arm pacer will make his maiden Test appearance in England as Australia vies for the prestigious World Test Championship mace against India.
In his seven Test matches so far, Boland has proven his mettle by claiming 28 wickets at an astonishing average of 13.42, which stands as the lowest among any Test cricketer who has bowled a minimum of 1000 deliveries since the 20th century. However, it is worth noting that the 34-year-old is yet to take a wicket outside of his home country.
Cummins, speaking to Cricket.com.au, compared Boland’s abilities to those of the renowned Australian pacers, including himself, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, and highlighted the importance of having a diverse bowling attack.
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“We believe in having a variety of bowling styles,” Pat Cummins explained to reporters. “Scott is a seam bowler who hits a good length, but he brings something slightly different compared to Josh Hazlewood, and Starcy’s left-handedness adds another dimension. There’s no set pecking order. You think about the three guys you want to send out there to play.”
Pat Cummins also expressed his desire for Boland to maintain his natural bowling style while adapting to the English conditions.
“In the past, I’ve seen players get overly fixated on trying to take wickets with every ball because the ball swings and seams more here in England,” Pat Cummins stated.
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“For someone like Scotty, it’s about sticking to a simple game plan – hitting good areas consistently and remaining patient throughout the day, allowing the ball to do the work for you. He has had some practice here and has looked impressive. But he always looks good whenever he bowls,” he added.
