Sydney, July 12: Australian Test captain Pat Cummins says his team has learnt “a heap” during the tours of Pakistan and Sri Lanka and getting a taste of sub-continent conditions should help his relatively inexperienced players in next year’s marquee series in India.
After notching a comprehensive 10-wicket win in the series opener, Australia lost by an innings and 39 runs in the second Test as Sri Lanka drew the series 1-1 on Monday and Cummins feels the defeat was a “reality check.” Before Sri Lanka, Australia had toured Pakistan, beating the hosts 2-0 in the three-match Test series in March.
“I think half our batting lineup and half our bowling lineup hasn’t played a lot over here in the subcontinent. So the experience on these two vastly different wickets, I think we got a lot of lessons out of it to take to India next year,” Cummins was quoted as saying by Sydney Morning Herland. “We turned up knowing it’s a tough place to win series and games over here, So to come away with a series draw – the same team that won last week – we grinded it out in Pakistan to come through with a series win.
“It might be a reality check that it’s tough playing away from home in different conditions to what we’ve grown up playing in. And [it] makes for more learning than after a win,” he added.
Australia are scheduled to tour India next year where they will play four Tests, as part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in February-March.
“In Australia most likely you only play one spinner, so in the background you’re trying to prepare a couple of other guys so they get the chance over in India. The last two tours we’ve learned a heap, we’ve come a long way in how we’ve played.” (PTI)
