Australia A v India A: Allan Border blasts Alex Carey captaincy; can’t understand Pat Cummins omission

Cricket legend Allan Border has blasted Australia A for its “lethargic” effort against India A in the final tour match. WATCH THE VIDEO.

India's Hanuma Vihari during Day 2 of India v Australia A day/night tour match at the SCG. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Test legend Allan Border has ripped shreds off Alex Carey’s captaincy and blasted the decision to rest Australia’s highest-paid cricketer Pat Cummins.

In perhaps his most outspoken commentary stint ever, a “ropeable” Border vented his disgust at the aimlessness of Australia A’s fielding performance against India at the SCG, declaring he would have preferred an under 16’s club team take the field instead.

Carey, considered by selectors to be a future international leader, responded to the criticism from Border, who said the wicketkeeper had come down in his estimations.

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India’s batsmen took Australia A apart late on Saturday night.

“I highly respect Allan Border and if he sees that, I guess you take a bit out of it,” Carey said.

“The way we responded today was outstanding. Last night was difficult, they had two set batters and Rishabh (Pant) the way he played… we’ve also had a lot of injuries the last couple of days.”

Border accused Carey’s team – featuring a number of players in the current Test squad – of one of the greatest sins in cricket for an Australian: not having a go.

“They gave up. Australian cricket teams, you can handle getting beaten and we put in some poor performances, I’ve been part of quite a few. But I don’t think you’d ever accuse Australian sides of not having a go. Just their attitude. I don’t blame them all but there was general (lethargy),” Border said in his scathing stint on Fox Cricket, after a night session on Saturday where India dominated an Australia A attack missing Sean Abbott (rested with calf soreness).

“It’s one of the worst, (most) lethargic performances I have seen in the last session of any cricket.

“This is Australia A, they are representing Australia, they are young blokes trying to make their way. That fielding performance, bowling performance, captaincy performance – an absolute disgrace. Not up to scratch at all.

“If Alex Carey is in line to be an Australian captain, he has got a lot of work to do for me.

Mitchell Swepson wasn’t spared from Allan Border’s verbal attack.

“He has gone down quite a few pegs. He is a good cricketer Alex Carey, he has got a bit of energy himself, but yesterday he should have reacted to the way the general feel around the team was.

“I’m happy for any of those guys to come talk to me about what was going on yesterday afternoon and (I would) stand corrected but it was very ordinary stuff.

“I would’ve been sending out some pretty terse messages about lifting your expletive, expletive game otherwise you’re out of there. I’m going to get the under 16s from the Mosman cricket club to come and do a better job in the field. I would’ve absolutely hammered them last night. Just not good enough boys, I’m afraid.”

Carey said he would absolutely be willing to take Border up on his offer of a chat.

“I love talking to the greats that have been in Australian cricket and picking their brain, and one of Australia’s best captains and players… I’d love to have a chat to AB,” he said.

“I guess personally being out there, the attitude wasn’t bad. We were trying. (But) I’d absolutely like to sit down and chat to AB for all parts of my game.”

Border questioned how selectors could pick leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson (1-148 from 29 overs) as a potential option alongside Nathan Lyon later in the Test series against India, although didn’t question his effort.

The former captain was also off his long run on the resting of star players, as he and fellow commentator Brendon Julian questioned how Australia could justify resting Cummins for the majority of the recent limited overs international series against India when he’d just spent two months in the IPL on $3.17 million.

Pat Cummins has barely played in recent weeks - and Allan Border can’t understand why.

Border said he didn’t blame Cummins, and understood the family issues COVID-19 has created and the pressure that has put on selectors, but said the Australian shirt had to be once again made the No.1 priority.

“Why wouldn’t you (go to the IPL), it’s a fantastic pay packet and you’re bowling four overs every three days. But he gets rested from an Australia game … He shouldn’t be rested from an Australia game. If he’s ready to play he should play,” said Border.

“Knowing Pat … there’s no way he’s suggesting it. It’s the powers that be. The management. Trying to work their way through their season, and I get it (COVID has made it hard).

“But it just annoys me. There’s no problems playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders and you get paid accordingly – and that’s fantastic, I’d be doing it myself – but I wouldn’t expect to be rested when I came back to Australia.

“We are an entertainment sport now. You’ve got punters out there, big television rights being paid. You’re doing the game a disservice by making these moves.”

Originally published as Australia A v India A: Allan Border blasts Alex Carey captaincy; can’t understand Pat Cummins omission