Cummins excited by potential World Test Championship final against India

Australia captain Pat Cummins has said that he is excited by a potential final against India in the World Test Championship in London.

With a win in this week's third and final Test of their current series against South Africa at the SCG, Australia, who are presently in first place in the World Test Championship standings, can secure a spot in the June final.

However, if Australia fails to qualify during the series against South Africa they still have a chance to secure a spot in the decider in the four-match Test series in India.

Whereas India, who are now in second place on the standings before their home series against Australia in February and March, might potentially face Australia in the final in June.

Meanwhile, Cummins has said that the possibility of competing in a World Test Championship final this year has been a huge source of inspiration for his team.

"It's been a big driver for us over the last couple of years. I think playing in London (in) a final against India, say, at a neutral venue, that's really exciting," the Australia skipper told reporters at the SCG on Tuesday.

It is worth mentioning here that Australia was competing against India at the MCG in 2020 when they were penalised four points for a sluggish over rate and ended up missing making the final of the 2021 World Test Championship.

It meant that the Kiwis sneaked into the championship match against India and defeated them to win the first World Test Championship title.

Cummins noted the significance of always monitoring how swiftly his team delivers its overs.

"It was still a new concept so even things like over rates – it wasn't really spoken about as importantly as perhaps what we think about it now. Every point is vital. (Now there is) lots of communication with the umpires, they are always keeping us abreast of where we are.

"I think we got down to nine minutes down at one stage (in a recent Test match) so we just made sure we had Trav Head or 'Smithy' (Steve Smith) as an option and we got back basically within a couple of overs.

"Having just missed out on the World Test Championship final last cycle, that was always going to be a big goal."

Cummins, who is also the 50-over format skipper, said they have been playing "fantastically" to put themselves in the spot for an early qualification.

"It's always exciting going to England and playing an Ashes series, but adding in a World Test Championship final [prior to the Ashes] is huge," he concluded.

Australia will take on South Africa in the last and final Test of the series at the Sydney Cricket Ground, beginning on January 4.

Comments

Submit