Australia captain Pat Cummins breaks silence on Nagpur pitch; 'I think it is a factor'

As the date of the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar series between India and Australia is inching closer, debates related to the Nagpur pitch are also raging on. Addressing the press conference before the first Test Australia captain, Pat Cummins has broken his silence on the Nagpur pitch and also played down his concerns regarding the first-day pitch of the Nagpur Test.  

'Cummins said: Home match advantage, I don't think it's a terrible thing'

"That's part of the challenge of playing away. Home teams want to win at home. In Australia, we're lucky we've normally got pace and bounce. Home match advantage, I don't think it's a terrible thing. It's another challenge and makes touring over here even harder when you know the conditions are custom-made for them," Cummins told the press reporters. 

'At times there is a bit more out there for the left-handers'

"I think it is a factor over here. With so much traffic from the right-handers' bowling, at times there is a bit more out there for the left-handers", Cummins added.

Cummins also talked about the ways that the Aussie batsmen will counter the Indian spin attack. 

"You've got those different options - the sweeps, the reverse sweeps, a really clean method," Cummins said.

Australia will have to avoid a 4-0 whitewash in the series if they want to qualify for the World Test Championship finals. The Aussie left-handed batsmen might have an upper hand in the match as per reports the Nagpur pitch was not covered from the outside off stump from both ends which means the pitch is dry. However, Cummins didn't reveal his playing XI. 

Australia will also miss the services of their key players like Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. Josh Hazlewood got injured before the first Test and Cameron Green is recovering from his injured finger. Mitchell Starc's presence in the first two Tests is also uncertain. 

Australia have not won a series in India since 2004 and they have also lost the series in the previous three instances. The last time Australia met India in a Test match was at their home but then they lost to an Indian team which was mostly made up of their fringe players. 

The first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be played in Nagpur from 9th February.