Australia v India: Pat Cummins calls for lively pitch for Boxing Day Test

The Adelaide pitch delivered a result in three days and Aussie pace destroyer Pat Cummins is hoping for more of the same in Melbourne.

Pat Cummins snared his 150th Test wicket on Saturday in Adelaide. Picture: Getty Images

Pat cummins has challenged the MCG to sweep away the boredom of recent Melbourne Tests by following Adelaide’s example of pace and fire.

Cummins rated Australia’s shock decimation of India for 36 and the resultant Test triumph in Adelaide as the equal-most satisfying win of his career beside last year’s Ashes-retaining victory over England in Manchester.

While the verdicts on the standard of the Adelaide deck which led to a two-and-a-half-day Test were mixed, the one categorical fact was that Australia looks nigh unbeatable on any track delivering seam and variable bounce.

The superior height and collective intent of the Australian quicks looks set to overwhelm India this summer.

The MCG last year produced a decent deck against New Zealand but many recent pitches there have been too lifeless for bowlers’ peace of mind, including two summers ago on India’s last visit when the tourists made 7-443 in their first innings.

Cummins had the class to overcome the conditions in that Test, but he still hopes for more life.

“I thought the Ashes Test and the Indian Test at the MCG a couple of years ago were pretty flat and boring wickets as a bowler,’’ said Cummins, who broke the back of India’s second innings in the first Test.

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The Adelaide pitch provided plenty of life for Pat Cummins and the Aussie quicks.

“Last year against New Zealand it was a really good (MCG) wicket. It has a bit of sideways and pace and bounce. Hopefully it will be much the same.

“I think not only as a player and a fan, they are the best wickets, when it is a good battle between bat and ball.

“You feel like if you do your skill well you can have a big impact.’’

Cummins and fellow quick Josh Hazlewood not only shocked the cricket world with their decimation of India — they shocked themselves.

“No one can believe that was a two-and-a-half-day Test match when day one they lost only six wickets,’’ he said.

“It is one of those things you just keep expecting there is going to be a partnership. You kind of hold your breath until all 10 wickets are taken. It was crazy. Every second over there was a wicket.

“I thought if we bowled them out for 200 and chased 260, I thought that was achievable. Everyone is shocked the Test is over.

“For me, this is right up there with Manchester as our most satisfying win.

“There were not too many plays and misses (in the Indian second innings). They carried through to the keeper. On day one that did not happen.

“The closest feeling I have had to today was Headingley … that first innings (when England were bowled out for 67) ... everything we tried worked out. It was pretty awesome.’’

AUSSIE SOUTH AFRICAN TOUR ON A KNIFE’S EDGE

Pace spearhead Pat Cummins has urged South Africa to match the biosecurity standards of England as anxiety levels rise for Australia’s February tour.

Two unnamed South African players have tested positive to COVID-19 and been withdrawn from the squad to play Sri Lanka on Boxing Day, not the news Australia was wanting after England recently abandoned its tour.

Australia is set to head to South Africa for a three-Test tour in February-March, which the South African Government is desperate to go ahead amid fears that its cancellation could impact the nation’s tourism.

But Australia is nervous and the tour rests on a knife’s edge.

South Africa has recorded the highest number of COVID infections in Africa – almost 900,000 - with 20,000 deaths, and the Government tightened restrictions this week.

“All I can say is when we went to England earlier this year it was absolutely incredible lengths the ECB went to ensure our safety, so hopefully South Africa can provide a similar level of service,’’ Cummins said.

“It’s a place we love touring and playing cricket. I know Cricket Australia’s medical staff will be starting their planning right now for that South African tour. It is obviously not an ideal situation, especially with (what happened to) that English team who went over.’’

England withdrew from their South African tour because of concerns over biosecurity protocols and an alarming quote from England’s director of cricket Ashley Giles was noted by Australia’s hierarchy.

“The thing that really raised the levels of anxiety and nervousness were that we were coming into a biosecure environment and from very early on it appeared it wasn’t biosecure,” Giles said.

COMMENT: CUMMINS BELONGS WITH GREATS

Dennis Lillee. Shane Warne. Pat Cummins.

Yes, the man who with Josh Hazlewood completed one of greatest hatchet jobs in the history of cricket at the Adelaide Oval, is that good.

We didn’t need the stats men to reinforce the point but they did anyway on Saturday when the rampaging bowling machine took his 150th wicket in his 31st Test, precisely the same number that Lillee and Warne took to reach the same milestone.

Future generations will see India’s total of 36 – the sort of figure normally reserved for bus routes and bingo nights — and ask for reasons why Australia’s pace attack suddenly became the assassins of Adelaide.

Did someone leave the hose on the wicket? No. Was it a spinner’s deck that fell apart? No. Did the batsmen lose their heads? No.

It’s true though that the pitch, two-paced and spongy, will be a major topic of conversation in post-match reviews after conceding 30 wickets in seven sessions and, at times, making world-class batsmen look as if they were batting with carrots.

While the wicket was not obviously abnormal, there were times when the Indian innings looked like one of those backyard games Marnus Labuschagne organises on nightmare, juiced-up wickets on which 16 is a good team total.

India’s last 17 wickets in the match reaped 92 runs.

Pat Cummins terrorised the Indian batsmen in Adelaide. Picture: AFP

But, more significantly, the result was the collective peak of a group of bowlers who have grown from boys to men together reaching a glorious career crescendo on a balmy sunny Saturday.

Cummins is quite something on and off the field.

He was spotted having breakfast at a cafe in Hindley St on match morning, smiling regularly and chatting as if he about to spend a day at the cricket – on the hill, not playing.

But that’s the thing about cricket’s Mr Cool. Like Glenn McGrath and so many champions before him, he can flick the “off’’ switch when he is away from the game. He’s just got everything as a fast man ... pace, bounce, swing, seam and an eight-cylinder engine.

The Indian innings was simply breathtaking.

You had to keep reminding yourself this is the world’s No.1 batting order. And not one of them could reach double figures. That’s only the second time in Test history it’s happened.

This is not Bangladesh on a bad day. It’s Virat Kohli and company.

The astonishing truth is India did well to reach 36. At one stage, when they lost 4-0, they looked in doubt to reach 25.

Pat Cummins showed his support for fellow paceman Josh Hazlewood after his brilliant five-wicket haul in Adelaide. Picture: AFP

Cricket has become batsman’s game yet Australia were so pinpoint and aggressive on a wicket which was quicker than in previous days that you sensed there would be a wicket every ball.

This attack at this moment may well be the finest Australian squadron of all time – and Cameron Green’s presence as the supplementary seamer will only help them get stronger.

Batsmen have nowhere to turn. The fast men are mean and miserly and pool their knowledge so generously they are instantly aware of when to change their line and length.

And then comes Nathan Lyon, the greatest off-spinner Australia has ever had.

There are times when this team looks vulnerable — and others when you wonder how they can ever lose a Test.