Pat Cummins says Border-Gavaskar Trophy ‘one of the last things to tick’
PERTH: Captain Pat Cummins has lifted nearly every major trophy in cricket as part of Australia’s dominant teams. However, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy remains an elusive prize, and Cummins is eager to change that as the five-match Test series against India begins today.
Despite celebrating numerous World Cup victories and Ashes triumphs, Cummins and several of his teammates have experienced nothing but defeat in the last four Test series against India, both home and away.
“For about half the change-room, we haven’t won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,” Cummins said during a press conference at Perth Stadium on the eve of the opening Test. “It’s one of the last things left to achieve for many of us.”
He emphasized the importance of consistent success over the years. “Almost every challenge thrown at us in recent years, we’ve stepped up to. To do it again this summer would cement this as more than just a great couple of seasons—it would become a defining era.”
India comes into the series with a fresh look compared to the injury-hit squad that secured a stunning 2-1 victory over the Tim Paine-led Australians in the 2020-21 series. Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will lead India in Perth as regular captain Rohit Sharma takes leave to be with his newborn baby. Left-handed batter Devdutt Padikkal is among the new faces in the Indian squad and could feature in the XI following Shubman Gill’s thumb injury.
Cummins acknowledged the potential of India’s younger players. “Most of us have played IPL and seen how many newcomers come in and perform immediately. They might be missing some familiar names, but whoever they bring in will be ready for Test cricket.”
Australia also fields a revamped lineup, with David Warner no longer opening the batting after his retirement. Nathan McSweeney, uncapped at the Test level, is set to partner with Usman Khawaja as the new opening duo. The pair has previously played together for Queensland, and Cummins believes their familiarity could work in their favor.
“David was unique and hard to replace in many ways,” said Cummins. “But for Nathan, the key is to play his natural game. He doesn’t need to try and replicate David’s strike rate. He just needs to focus on his strengths.”
Both teams are set for an intense clash in what promises to be a thrilling start to the series.
