'We keep finding ways to win, it's an awesome squad' - Cummins hails Australian team after Christchurch win

Australia captain Pat Cummins hailed several match winners in the Test squad who helped the touring side win the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch by three wickets. Reeling at 34 for four late on day three and 80 for five at one stage early on day four, Australia clawed their way back intothe game, taking the series 2-0.

After losing Travis Head early on day four, the under-fire pair of Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey, whose position in the Test team was under severe scrutiny for his series of low scores, stitched a brilliant 140-run stand in 29 overs to put Australia in the winning position.

While Ben Sears took two wickets in two balls to dent Australia’s run, including removing Marsh (on 80) and Starc on the first ball, Carey and Cummins stood tall to see their team home. Cummins remained on 32, and Carey registered his best Test score in the fourth inning.

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"Think the story of this series was in key moments one guy stood up, we didn't necessarily play the complete game, but in those pivotal moments someone stood up and made themselves a matchwinner," Cummins said after the second Test. "[We] keep finding ways to win, it's a pretty awesome squad."

Meanwhile, in the last decade, or probably a bit more than that, Australia has chased 275-plus totals only thrice, and coincidently, Cummins was at the crease on all three occasions.

While the first instance came during his debutTest series against South Africa in 2011 (the JoBurg Test), Cummins and Lyon won it for Australia in Edgbaston for the second time last year. In 2024, the Aussie captain was at the crease, winning it for his side once again.

"We've been on the other side of it plenty of times, and if the scoreboard's not moving, you feel in the game, but if they are chipping away, it seems like it's all happening pretty quickly," he said. "That was the goal today, be busy, keep the run rate ticking over, and bit by bit getting closer."

"[It was] pretty tense," Cummins said.

"Pretty nervous watching for the last couple of hours, everyone trying to keep themselves busy then looking up at the board. Amazing win,” the Aussie captain added.

Australia whitewash Kiwis

However, with this 2-0 win in the Test series, Australia completed a series whitewash over New Zealand by beating them in all five matches on their away tour, including winning the T20I series 3-0.

The Aussie and Kiwi players will feature in the Indian Premier League,starting on March 22 in Chennai.

Besides, New Zealand will tour Pakistan for the white-ball leg in April.