The Australian skipper, Pat Cummins isn’t bothered much about the pitch conditions for the series opener against India in Nagpur, saying that in Test cricket, the home advantage is the most challenging part. Cummins’s statement comes after several accusations of pitch doctoring on the Nagpur pitch by an Australian journalist, and another report speculated on India’s strategy with the Nagpur surface after only some areas of the pitch were watered while others were left “bone dry.”

Pat Cummins, whose team will be aiming to avoid a whitewash to advance to the World Test Championship final in June, admitted that Australia’s southpaw batter may have to work extra hard to score runs during the match, which starts on Thursday.

The way the Nagpur pitch was prepared left the area outside the off-stump of left-handers dry at both ends. Cummins did not reveal his playing XI, but the visitors could select five left-handed batsmen in their top seven, setting up a potential spin trial.

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As per the quotes in India Today, during a chat with the reporters, Pat Cummins said, “That’s part of the challenge of playing away. Home teams want to win at home. In Australia, we’re lucky we’ve normally got pace and bounce. Home match advantage, I don’t think it’s a terrible thing. It’s another challenge and makes touring over here even harder when you know the conditions are custom-made for them.”

Cameron Green, who is recovering from a finger injury, will miss the opening Test alongside pacers, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, according to Cummins. Todd Murphy, along with fellow off-spinner Nathan Lyon, and Peter Handscomb will be expected to overtake Matthew Renshaw for the number six spot, adding right-handed variety to their southpaw-heavy lineup.

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Explaining the same, Pat Cummins said, “I think it is a factor over here. “With so much traffic from the right-handers’ bowling, at times there is a bit more out there for the left-handers. You’ve got have those different options – the sweeps, the reverse sweeps, a really clean method.”