Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Pat Cummins calls Jasprit Bumrah ‘one of the best in the world’

Latest update:November 25, 2024 07:24 PM IST

Pat Cummins said Jasprit Bumrah “played well in the game as he did in most of the games”.

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: India captain Jasprit Bumrah took 8 wickets in the match (AP)

Australia captain Pat Cummins heaped praise on his Indian counterpart Jasprit Bumrah, calling him one of the best bowlers in the world after he picked figures of 5-30 and 3-42 in the team’s 295-run victory in the first Test at Perth Stadium on Monday.

“I think he played very well. He is one of the best in the world. It will always be a problem, so we have to come up with ways to combat it. I especially thought that on the first day, his spell, the Indian boys’ spell, was difficult for our team to navigate. He played a good game, like most games,” Cummins said in the post-match press conference.

He also backed top batter Marnus Labuschagne as he bounced back strongly in the series, with the second game, the pink-ball match, starting in Adelaide on December 6. Labuschagne made just two and three runs respectively in Perth, adding more due to his inconsistent performances in Tests, where he averages just 31.75 in 19 matches since 2023, a sharp decline in his overall average of 48.45.

“Marnus and a lot of the guys on the team didn’t have the week we wanted. It’s no secret how hard batters, especially Marne, work in the nets. He’s always trying to find those little marginal gains. There will be a lot of talk with coaches this week about his approach and what he could do differently. “

“We know he is a class player, his best qualities are one of the most fearsome propositions for opposition bowlers. “We’ll get to Adelaide a little early and maybe spend an extra day or two preparing for the second Test.”

“He’s done this before, he has a very good track record, so I always think looking back at past successes when you were at your best is always a very good way to get back on track,” he added.

Cummins also revealed that all-rounder and local lad Mitchell Marsh was injured after playing just 17 overs in Perth. “He’s been struggling with a couple of minor issues since the UK tour. The main thing is that he is one of the top six batters in the country and his bowling is a bonus.”

“Towards the end of that Test match he was a little upset. Again, the next 10 days will be your chance to refresh yourself and try to do things right. Let’s see how he goes. Ideally he could play in every Test match.”

Amid speculation about a controversy over Josh Hazlewood’s comments within the team on day three, Cummins called it all off. “No, not at all. Many times the batters got us bowlers out of tight situations and we did the same.”

“So it’s a really tight team, probably one of the tightest teams I’ve ever played with. We really enjoy playing cricket together, we as a core group have been through a lot over the last few years so there are no problems, everyone gets along really well.”

Cummins further noted that there will be no wholesale changes to the Australian Test team. “I think after the test you look at what you think your best match is. This is sample size one. Four or five days ago we thought this was our best line-up. So I dare say…there won’t be many changes in Adelaide, but I’m not a selector. I’m sure they’ll get together after the game. We (have) a lot to work on over the next 10 days.”

He concluded by saying Australia would bounce back after careful self-reflection following the Perth performances. “Not an ideal start to summer. You sit in the locker room after such a defeat, and it hurts. When a team makes an announcement to you, it’s never a surprising feeling. We’ve all been in these situations before. Because of the nature of professional sports, you’re going to lose some games.”

“The biggest challenge and the most important thing is how do you bounce back, what is your next step. Here’s what we need to do this week. We were clearly not at our best, there is something to work on, so the most important thing is that there are four Test matches ahead. How do we make sure we don’t end up in this position again?”

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency-IANS feed)