India vs Australia 2017: Pat Cummins Declared Fit For Dharamsala Test
Mar 24, 2017 at 11:32 AM
Fiery Australian pacer Pat Cummins has been declared fit for the all-important fourth Test at Dharamsala, which commences March 25. Cummins, who made his comeback to Test cricket after an agonizing span of 5.5 years, was simply brilliant at Ranchi as he extracted venom out of a dead flat strip. The New South Wales pacer bagged four crucial wickets and ended up being Australia’s best bowler in the match.
Initially, Cummins wasn’t in the scheme of things as he was not a part of the original Australian squad for the Test series. Only after ace pacer Mitchell Starc got injured (after the Bengaluru Test), Cummins was called up to the team. The intentions behind doing so were evident at Ranchi as the pacer took the Indians by surprise with his sheer pace.
Cummins’ new ball partner Josh Hazlewood confirmed the pacer would participate in the game in the pre-match conference.
“I think the way they saw Patty Cummins bowl the other day, they don’t really want it any faster than Ranchi,” said Hazlewood.
“I think everyone was taken back by the way he bowled, and to get that lift and pace off the wicket like that.
“He’s a pretty special player and to bring that extra pace is what you need sometimes on these wickets to get those breakthroughs. Hopefully he can stay on the park and keep playing.”
Hazlewood added the wicket at Dharamsala is bound to be a result-oriented one.
“I think the wicket will determine a result,” said Hazlewood.
“I’d love to see it fast and bouncy. But that’s what they said in Pune as well and we didn’t quite get that.”