Australia Test captain Pat Cummins outlines plan for home Tests against India - ‘We are well placed this time’

Pat Cummins has won mostly everything since becoming the Australian Test captain, but one eluded from his decorated trophy cabinet is a Border-Gavaskar series. With Team India travelling Down Under for five Tests later this year, Cummins has his eyes set on beating them. Ahead of this marquee five-match Test series, Cummins has outlined his preparation plans, which, for now, doesn’t include cricket.

Cummins has been on the go ever since early last year, and with the crucial India Tests coming up, he has decided to sideline cricket for a while, concentrating on resting entirely.

ALSO READ:‘Ten years of unfinished business’ – Nathan Lyon on facing India in upcoming Border-Gavaskar series

The Australia pacer just completed his stint in the USA's Major League Cricket (MLC), with Cricket Australia (CA) handing him extended rest for the next two months to manage his workload.

"Everyone that comes back after a break is a little bit fresher; you never regret it," Cummins said during a chat with Fox Sports.

"I've basically been bowling non-stop since the World Test Championship final, nearly 18 months ago. This gives me a good seven or eight weeks completely off bowling so the body can recover, then you start building up again for the summer. "It means you can hopefully bowl for a little bit longer, maintaining pace is a bit easier, makes you less susceptible to injuries," he added.

Over the past year, Cummins has been part of multiple away bilateral tours, twin home Test series against Pakistan and West Indies and three ICC tournaments – WTC Final 2023 (England), ODI World Cup 2023 (India) and T20 World Cup 2024 in the Caribbean; not to forget the away Ashes last year.

Though he has been on the winning side most times, Cummins admits feeling soreness in his body.

"I'm very sore today after a week of the gym. Hamstrings, even ankles, kind of build up over months of bowling, but you can't really nail it while you're in the midst of the season," Cummins noted. "I'll be doing lots of gym, some running, a lot of rehab exercise that you just can't really fit in the middle of the season."

Cummins on Border-Gavaskar series

Looking forward to the India Tests, Cummins said it (BGT) is one trophy he and most of his current teammates haven’t won, something he wishes to tick off.

"It's the trophy I haven't won before... this is the one trophy a lot of our group haven't ticked off," Cummins said.

"We've achieved some amazing things over the last few years as a Test group. You kind of back yourself to win every series at home. I think you need to try and be up there in the upper echelon of teams. "That's what lies ahead of us this summer. They (India) are a really good side. We play them quite a lot, we know them really well, but we feel like we're really well placed also," he added.

Australia last won the BGT almost ten years ago, in 2014/15, when they beat India 2-0 at home. Since then, they have lost twice at home, in addition to suffering beatings in India.

(With inputs from agencies)