Just a step away from the 2023 World Cup, Australian captain Pat Cummins displayed a calm, serene expression during a pre-match evening, which could define his legacy as an Australian captain quite well. And it wasn’t a fictional expression, but a confident one. Australia has faced more challenges in the tournament compared to India, and they even tasted the taste of a defeat in two matches. However, having now won 8 consecutive matches, Cummins appeared indifferent when asked about the conditions in Ahmedabad amid the ongoing tussle with India.
“I’m not a pitch reader, but it looked quite strong. They’ve just given it some water, so yeah, give it another 24 hours and see, but it seems like a good wicket. I think it’s scored a bit more here than in Kolkata throughout the tournament, so yeah, it’s hard to say.”
Pat Cummins didn’t dwell much on avenging the defeat Australia faced in the 2003 World Cup final against India, stating that none of the players from that team remain. However, he acknowledged the pressure of playing in front of over a lakh Indian fans, describing it as a lifetime experience. “Yeah, I mean, none of the players from both sides in 2003 were there, so it feels like a long time ago, but we know it’s going to be a full house. 130,000 fans supporting India here. So, it’s going to be amazing.”
The Australian captain admitted that India is a strong team, but playing against them regularly in recent years has eliminated any element of surprise. He expressed confidence in Australia’s ability to give a tough competition.
“They are playing really well, undefeated in this tournament. But we know that by putting up our best performance, we can challenge them. We’ve had success against them in the past few years, so we are preparing for a good match.
Pat Cummins praised the early bowlers, especially Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, for their performance in the powerplay during the semi-final against South Africa.
“The way they (Starc) bowled in Kolkata a few nights ago was fantastic – taking important wickets with seven consecutive deliveries and could have easily taken a few more. The early partnership between him and Josh Hazlewood is going to be crucial for us. Yes, we’ve seen what they can do when they bowl like they did last night, so they can have a big impact on the game. They both have experience playing in ICC finals, so they know what it feels like.”
Reflecting on Australia’s league game against India in the World Cup, Pat Cummins admitted that it wasn’t their best batting performance, but he reminded the press that they were just a catch away from potentially being ahead in that game.
“I don’t think we scored evenly in that first game, but we’re just one catch away from possibly being ahead in that game. We won a series here at the beginning of the year. There are many moments we can capitalize on. We have had success against a good Indian team.”
The Australian captain acknowledged that handling the crowd noise was challenging, and whenever possible, they aimed to silence it to end the day without any regrets.
“I think you’ve got to embrace it. The crowd will be one-sided, but it’s part of the game. It’s also a big part of the noise in the game. More people, more interest, more excitement, and you can’t be overwhelmed. You have to be ready for it, love it, and just know that whatever happens, it’s okay, but you want to finish the day without any regrets.”
When asked if he ever thought that consecutive losses and a bit of struggle against Sri Lanka could lead to Australia’s end after the league games, Cummins honestly admitted that negative thoughts did cross his mind, but the team managed to steer clear of it. He emphasized the need for a flawless performance.”
In that phase, the proposal essentially stated that we needed to be flawless to reach the semifinals. Fortunately, we were. However, yes, absolutely, we knew that facing two very good teams (India and South Africa) at the beginning would be a challenge. We were lagging behind in pace, so we knew that we had to make significant changes. And yes, we are happy that we did.
Pat Cummins acknowledged that not playing the entire game also provided a positive outlook. He speculated that it might not be necessary to deliver their best performance to reach the final, and some players were so hungry that an unexpected win couldn’t be achieved.
He said, “I think one of the delightful things is that I still don’t feel like we’ve played the whole game. No significant win has occurred. We had to strive for every victory, but we found a way to win. And different players have stepped up at different times.”
“So, I think, taking that confidence, knowing that we don’t have to put our best performance forward to challenge any team, we can find our way through. Yes, I believe we will gain a lot of confidence, and it gives the boys enough confidence for tomorrow.”
When asked about the possibility of additional all-rounder Marcus Stoinis contributing in the case of favorable wicket conditions for batting, Cummins mentioned that it was a possibility that the think tank had considered.
“Probably yes, these are the things we think about before every game. We are fortunate; we have a 15-member team, and we think that anyone can be included, and they can perform. They are all ready to go. So, like other games, we go through a process where the coach gathers and discusses what they think, how the game will go, and then the selectors clearly choose the final eleven.”
Starting the year with winning the World Test Championship final against the same opponent and later winning the Ashes, the year has been significant for Cummins.
“It means a lot; it has been a very big year. There are four major programs in it. If you have one in the off-season, it’s a big off-season. We have four of them. So, there is pride in all those things mentioned, not just winning, but people have put in effort. Some people may have spent less time on their beds after the end of the Australian summers. One thing that has consistently been there is morale within the group. People are amazing. They are ready for every game. And to keep ourselves in this position, it will be a remarkable year, and perhaps a career-defining year, which many of us will look back on and be proud of in the coming years,” he said.
Acknowledging the temperature difference of about 7-8 degrees Celsius between Kolkata and Ahmedabad, Pat Cummins accepted that, apart from dew, it would play a role, but mainly in the final stages of the game.
“I think the biggest difference is dew. There is more dew here compared to other places where we play. So maybe, yes, it’s worth thinking about before tomorrow. Then, it can only be the last quarter of the game, but once it freezes, and the ball starts slipping, it becomes quite different to say that the first 20 overs where it could swing. So, there’s something to think about. You have to pay attention to batting during the day when it might be a bit easier in comparison to the twilight. But knowing that it can go further towards the end of the second innings,” he explained.
Asked about the possibility of being part of the legacy of Australian captains winning the World Cup, Cummins expressed that it would be a significant achievement, and captaining the Australian team in a World Cup is an honour.
He said, “It will be a very big thing. All of us were children not too long ago, watching some great teams win the ’99, 2003, 2007 World Cups.” “Tomorrow, we have the opportunity in front of us, which is really exciting. Lifting the trophy with these great people as captain will be a unique privilege. In terms of peak, I think it’s right up there. It’s probably the longest history of any world competition where all teams compete.”
“You only get one chance every four years. So even if your career is long, you can only play in two competitions. 2015 is still the main attraction of my career, so I think if we win tomorrow, we might top it,” he added.
Although Pat Cummins dismissed all principles of Australia being favorites in the final and emphasized that it was a closely contested match against a formidable Indian team, he acknowledged that having six or seven players who won it in 2015 provided them with the knowledge and mindset required.
“I think it will be a tight match. I think you can claim it for any side. The good thing is that I think we have six or seven guys who won it in 2015, so we know that feeling. And more of the guys who were in the T20 World Cup, their template was different, but almost everyone has won at least one World Cup in 15 years and knows what to do for it and know that feeling and won’t be afraid to go out there, be brave, and push the game forward,” he concluded.