Australia may be well-served by letting Pat take injured Mitchell Starc's place in Thursday's Ranchi Test against India because of his IPL and 'A' tour experience
Pat Cummins
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Ranchi: Pat Cummins might look slightly out of place in flannels and a red ball, but by no means is the Australian quick a stranger to India. The 23-year-old has not played a Test match for his country since his memorable debut in 2011, but in those six years Cummins has been a regular visitor to India.
The paceman, who has replaced the injured Mitchell Starc, has figured in three Indian Premier League campaigns, one Champions League for New South Wales and also an 'A' tour in 2015. Each of those were for the shorter format of the game, but Cummins is aware of what is expected to excel in these conditions.
Over the past couple of years, Cummins has spent bowling under the watchful eyes of Wasim Akram, the bowling coach at Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. Recently, he talked about learning the finer points of fast bowling from the former Pakistani fast bowling maestro.
During the Champions League matches for NSW Blues in 2011, Cummins showcased his ability to adjust to the flat pitches by bowling cross seam deliveries which made it difficult for the batsmen to predict the bounce. Even in the recently-concluded ODI series against Pakistan in Australia, Cummins used the crossed seam to great effect to surprise batsmen. It is something that does not come natural to Australian bowlers, but Cummins has mastered the art.
So when the Australian tour selectors and Darren Lehmann sit down to decide if they should take a gamble and play Cummins in the playing XI in the third Test against India here on Thursday, it will be worthwhile considering the time that Cummins had spent in this part of the world.
Last week, he returned to the long format of the game bowling 36 overs in a Sheffield Shield match for New South Wales (NSW) against South Australia and ended up with figures of 8-104. Given the nature of the pitches this series, it is highly unlikely he will bowl as many overs if he is picked for the Ranchi Test. Also, chances are that skipper Steven Smith will use him in three or four over-bursts rather than prolonged spells. All of these factors are sure to work in Cummins' favour.
From now, until the morning of the Test match, all eyes will be on Cummins and whether his body can sustain the load of Test cricket. The Australian think-tank must take into consideration that Cummins has the experience of bowling on placid pitches. He also is the best man to replace Starc with his raw pace and his ability to swing the new and old ball.
Interestingly, Cummins' NSW captain Moises Henriques has some doubts over whether the paceman will be up to it on the physical fitness front. It must be stressed that Cummins played his first Sheffield Shield game in six years. “I think Pat is a very special bowler, so in terms of skill-wise and if you want someone to play cricket for Australia, I think Pat Cummins is your man. But whether he's ready physically on the back of one Shield game, that's a completely different kettle of fish,” Henriques was quoted as saying in the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday.
Cummins has a lot to prove.
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