Pat Cummins plays down concerns around Nagpur pitch for 1st Test: That’s part of the challenge of playing away

Australia captain Pat Cummins said home advantage is part of the challenge of Test cricket after parts of the Australian media accused the hosts of selectively watering the pitch.

Pat Cummins plays down concerns around Nagpur pitch for 1st Test (AFP Photo)

By India Today Web Desk: Australia captain Pat Cummins played down concerns around the pitch set to be used for the series opener against India in Nagpur, saying that the home advantage is part of the challenge of Test cricket. Cummins’s statement comes after the Nagpur pitch was described as doctored 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 needs to avoid a 4-0 whitewash to advance to the World Test Championship final in June, admitted that Australia’s left-handed batsmen 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 Australia could select five left-handed batsmen in their top seven, setting up a potential spin trial.

“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,” Cummins told reporters.

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

“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.”

Cummins also spelled out how his batters can overcome spin.

“You’ve got have those different options – the sweeps, the reverse sweeps, a really clean method,” Cummins added.