Aussie pacer Pat Cummins demands a 'sporting' MCG pitch for Boxing Day Test

It is rightly said that defeating Australia in their own backyard in a Test series is equivalent to winning the World Cup. India and Australia were up against each other in the day-night Test at the iconic Adelaide Oval. The pink-ball contest experienced a complete package of a roller coaster ride for both teams.

The Indian team was looking comprehensive after a nerve-wracking bowling performance at the end of the Day 2 game. However, the hosts fired all the cylinders and poured water on Indian hopes on Day 3. Virat Kohli and his troops lost the match by 8 wickets. Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were the chief architects of the Aussie triumph.

Cummins demands a similar sporting pitch at the MCG as well

The former blistered the visitors taking away four wickets at the expense of 21 whereas the latter plucked 8 for 5 wickets in the second innings. Hence, the speedster Pat Cummins opined on the pitch on offer for the Boxing Day Test which is slated to get underway at Melbourne Cricket Stadium in the last week of the year.

He recalled that the last encounter between India and Australia in 2018-19 season at the MCG sported a flat wicket. Hence, Cummins demanded a similar “sporting” pitch for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne in the interview. “I thought the Ashes Test (2017-18) and the Indian Test at the MCG a couple of years ago were pretty flat wickets,” Cummins was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

Elucidating on the last year’s clash against the Kiwis, he said, “As a bowler, last year against New Zealand, it was a really good wicket, a bit of sideways movement and a bit of pace and bounce, so, hopefully, much the same (this year).”

“Not only as a player but as 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 on the game,” he added.

Pat Cummins also scalped the prized wicket of Virat Kohli and the Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara. Talking about the latter’s wicket, Cummins said: “One of the biggest helpers was the wicket, it felt like there was a bit of sideways movement. We could just challenge his defence over and over again and having a bit of bounce in the wicket certainly helped.”