Pat Cummins admits Perth Test defeat 'hurt' but eyes to bounce back

PERTH: Australia’s captain Pat Cummins admitted that the crushing defeat in the opening Test of the five-match series against India ‘hurt’ but backed his team to bounce back in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) remainder.

India, fresh from their first-ever whitewash in a three-Test home series, were skittled for a mere 150 in the first innings.

The touring side, however, staged an astounding comeback by dismissing Australia for a meagre 104 to acquire a handy 46-run lead.

The visitors then posted a massive total of 487/6 on the board, thanks to magnificent centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli, setting the home side a daunting 534-run target.

In response, Australia were bowled out on 238 in the final session of the penultimate day and thus succumbed to a 295-run defeat.

“Look, I think you kind of sit in the change room after a loss like that and it hurts,” said Pat Cummins after the match. “When a team declares on you, it’s never an amazing feeling. We’ve all been in these situations before.”

“The biggest challenge and the most important thing is how do you bounce back, what’s your next move?

“So that’s what we’ve got to do this week. Clearly, we were well off the mark, there’s a lot to work on.

“The most important thing is there’s four Test matches to come and how do we make sure that we don’t be in this position again.”

Pat Cummins also backed his last top-order Marnus Labuschagne, who is averaging just 13.66 across 10 Test innings, as he resisted making panic changes heading to Adelaide.

“I think after every Test you always kind of look at what you think your best match-up is,” he said. “Four or five days ago, we thought this was our best 11 so I dare say there won’t be many changes going into Adelaide, but I’m not a selector.”

“I’m sure they’ll get together after the game, but yeah, not to be today and we’ve got a bit of work to do over the next 10 days.”