‘We’re Pretty Good at Bouncing Back’: Cummins confident after shock Darwin Test loss to Bangladesh
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘We’re Pretty Good at Bouncing Back’: Cummins confident after shock Darwin Test loss to Bangladesh")
‘We’re Pretty Good at Bouncing Back’ Cummins confident after Darwin Test loss Photograph: (AFP)
Pat Cummins accepts no excuses after Australia's shocking 9-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in Darwin, while Ricky Ponting calls for lineup changes ahead of the second Test.
Australian captain Pat Cummins made no excuses for his team’s shocking nine-wicket loss against Bangladesh in the first of the two Tests in Darwin on Sunday (Aug 16). Cummins led a full-strength Australian XI for the series opener but failed to replicate Steve Waugh, who guided Australia to an innings win over Bangladesh at the very venue 23 years ago. While Cummins expressed no concerns over Australia's preparation for the first Test, he hinted at returning to the drawing board and making changes to the XI for the next Test if necessary.
Bangladesh, on the other hand, entered this Test on the back of getting folded for just 54 in their scheduled warm-up tie against Cricket Australia XI; they, however, did the unthinkable by beating the mighty Aussies for their first Test win Down Under, and only their second-ever against Australia in Tests. Chasing a mere 57 in the final innings, Bangladesh lost their opener and first-inning hero, Tanzid Hasan, for a duck before Shadman and Mominul stitched a stand to see Bangladesh home with nine wickets remaining.
"I thought our preparation was pretty much spot-on. I thought it was excellent, so, yeah, no excuses," Cummins said at the post-match presentation. "They [Bangladesh] played really well. I thought the day one wicket, [there was] a little bit [in it] early but obviously [we've] got to try and find a way to bat a little bit longer than we did, and then just couldn't penetrate with the ball."
"They outplayed us in all facets. I thought they were really patient and quite disciplined. Once we were behind, it was really hard to get back,” he continued.
Also read| 'Our Biggest Win Ever': Captain Shanto on Bangladesh's historic Darwin Test triumph over Australia
The Australian cricket team has been in such situations over the years, and has successfully bounced back. Cummins, however, is not ready to back down, reminding everyone of how well the Aussies know about making a comeback.
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"I think every time there's a game like this, you always kind of look at your match-ups and your make-up with the team for the next one. But we only just finished, [so] we'll have a think about it," Cummins said. “We're pretty good at bouncing back, so no doubt the batters and every group will get together and have a good think about this one and where we can improve.”
Ponting Suggests Changes
Commenting from the broadcast booth, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting suggested that it’s inevitable for the hosts to make changes for the second Test match, starting with one at number three, where Marnus Labuschagne's struggles have persisted for some time.
"I think it's inevitable they have to make a change," Ponting said on Channel 7. "I was on the record at the end of last summer thinking that this was the ideal time to start to regenerate this team because the performances from some of the players. I'm the last one (I want) to make change. As a captain or as a player, I wanted to keep the group together. So it has to get to a bad point before I start saying you ought to leave somebody out.
“But there had been enough evidence for me coming here to suggest that they weren't going to lose anything or much at all by starting that regeneration, by maybe bringing in another opener, by maybe bringing in someone at No. 3,” Ponting continued.
