New Delhi: Australia skipper Pat Cummins insists they won’t rue not winning the third Test at Brisbane despite dominating throughout the match. Rain played a major part in deciding the outcome of the contest as rain prevented 54 over from being bowled on the final day after wiping out large chunks of the first and second days.
Australia had scored 445 in the first innings and reduced India to 213/9 and looked to enforce the follow-on to force a win on the fifth and final day amid the spectrum of rain.
But a defiant 39-run 10th wicket partnership between Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep allowed India to avoid follow-on and take a big step in drawing the match.
Many believe that by forcing a draw, India have wrestled back momentum before the fourth Test at Melbourne, having surrendered it when they lost the second game at Adelaide.
Cummins though couldn’t care less who emerged with wind behind their sails from Brisbane and focussed instead on counting the positives.
“(I) can’t say I’ve ever been scared of momentum — don’t really care about that. I think we can take a lot from this week,” he said after the gamed ended on Wednesday.
“A couple of great partnerships, to be sent in on a (fresh) wicket and score 450 (445) and then managing to bowl India out for 250 (260) when the wicket, the conditions were probably a little bit better. We can take a lot from that.”
‘Ashwin an all-time great’
Veteran India spinner R Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket after the game, which was a surprise for Cummins.
“Yeah, (the timing was) a bit of a surprise. He’s obviously been a fantastic player all around the world really. There aren’t too many finger spinners that have that kind of longevity. He’ll go down as one of the all-time greats,” the pacer said.
“(He was) always a fantastic competitor, (we) had a lot of battles against him over the years here in Australia as well over in India. Just a massive respect from our change room to the career that he’s had,” he said.
Many believe that by forcing a draw, India have wrestled back momentum before the fourth Test at Melbourne, Australia skipper Pat Cummins though couldn’t care less. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
