Aus skipper Cummins: '2018-19 loss to India hurt more than 2020-21 defeat'

Pat Cummins

Australia skipper Pat Cummins believes that the 2018-19 Test series loss to India was more hurtful than the 2020-21 debacle under his captaincy as the home team were simply outplayed in that engagement. India, under Virat Kohli, defeated Australia 2-1 in the 2018-19 rubber with the skipper and Cheteshwar Pujara playing a pivotal role in the historic triumph against the Tim Paine-led side.

During the 2020-2021 series, a hugely-depleted Indian side again bagged the series 2-1, defeating the hosts at their stronghold The Gabba for the first time in a Test match in 32 years. "I actually thought the series before [2018-19] was worse because we got completely beaten whereas that series [in 2020-21] was quite [keenly] fought. I thought they [India] played like fantastically well to win at The Gabba," Cummis told The Grade Cricketer podcast.

"That [defeat] was annoying, but I felt like the series before, where we were like completely outplayed, that would hurt more for me," he said. The pace bowling stalwart, who will again be leading in a five-match Test series against India starting November 22 in Perth, said that if he had his way, he would welcome India with green tops to make life difficult for the visitors.

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"I wish if I had it my way I would be looking like those bushes behind you. Unfortunately, I don't have any sway (on the preparation of wickets), so we'll wait and see," said Cummins in response to the host's question on the amount of grass he would like to see on the pitches for the crucial series.

India's squad

Rohit Sharma (captain), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar

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