New Delhi: Australia will need a lot more overs with the ball from all-rounders Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh in their five-match Test series against India, feels captain Pat Cummins.
The two teams will compete for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from November and Cummins said he expects that the all-rounders would need to bowl a lot more frequently than they did in the last few seasons.
Australia have lost their last four series – home and away – to India and are determined to wrest back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
“It’s been huge (having the all-rounders). In some ways we haven’t had to use them as much as we thought we would. Which is a great thing. The last couple of summers have been pretty light (with) quick Test matches,” Cummins told at the launch of Play Cricket week, as quoted by PTI.
“I suspect this summer might be a bit different at time. We’ll be drawing on Cam Green and Mitch Marsh a bit more.”
Green, 25, has claimed 35 wickets in 28 Test matches at an average of 35.31 and is regarded as one of the most promising young all-rounders in the game.
“Even someone like Cam basically started in Shield cricket as a bowler but hasn’t had to bowl heaps in Test matches. Now he is a few years older, I think we will be leaning on him a bit more,” Cummins added.
‘Luxury’
Himself a bowling all-rounder, Cummins said it is a huge advantage for them to have Marsh and Green as they re good enough to play as pure batters.
“The first point is they (Green and Marsh) both absolutely make the top six on their batting alone which is a luxury,” Cummins said.
“We’re really lucky that Nathan Lyon bowls plenty of overs, so you don’t necessarily have to have an all-rounder, but it makes a big difference to have that fifth bowling option.
As he is a premier pace bowler, Cummins understands the psyche of bowlers helping to manage the workload in a more efficient way.
“And with someone like Cam and Mitch we have six bowling options. It’s a really nice thing to have. Top six should always make the team on their batting.
“It’s nice of them to say that, they’d never say it to my face,” Cummins said.
“When I’m at the top of their mark asking them to do something, they know I’m also doing it down the other end and wouldn’t ask for something I can’t do myself. Maybe there’s a bit of built-up trust over the last decade or so.”
Pat Cummins said he expects that the all-rounders would need to bowl a lot more frequently than they did in the last few seasons. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
