The Australian skipper, Pat Cummins will fly back home in the middle of the high-profile Border-Gavaskar trophy between India and Australia Test series to attend to a private family matter, Australian media reported in the early hours of Monday, 20 February. Cummins is expected to join the team ahead of the 3rd Test match, set to begin on March 1 in Indore.
Under the leadership of Cummins, Australia have not fared well in the subcontinent in the ongoing tour, losing back-to-back Test matches. They have no answers to counter the spin Test and have succumbed to defeats inside the first three days of both Tests – in Nagpur and New Delhi.
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Australia is under threat of crashing out of the World Test Championship final if they get a clean sweep by India in the series. Coming into the four-match tour, Australia was primed to reach the final of the tournament in England, against either India, Sri Lanka, or South Africa.
Both quicks are returning to Australia – Cummins is set to head back to India before the third Test while Hazlewood will not #INDvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 20, 2023
However, as things stand, the Indian team is fighting for the spot in the final with Sri Lanka, while Australia might get knocked out of the race altogether. Australia did not give a good account of themselves in Delhi, with batters folding once again in a little over one session of play. In their second innings, despite starting well and closing Day 2 on 61/1 Australia was bowled out for just 113 runs in the morning session of Day 3.
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Speaking after the game, the Australian skipper had said that his batters needed to apply themselves better and find a way to score runs in India.
After the second Test, Pat Cummins said, “I think there will be a review. Shot choice, did we go about it the right way? Unfortunately, quite a few of us got out with kind of cross-batted shots, which might not be our preferred method.”
