Australian captain Pat Cummins has defended his side after their shock Test loss to Bangladesh in August. Cummins insisted that preparation was not a factor in their loss and believes that the team would've had the exact same preparation whether it were for the Ashes or a Bangladesh series.
“Whether that was an Ashes Test or a Bangladesh series, I think we would have prepped exactly the same,” Cummins spoke with the Keepin' it Cricket podcast.
Australia suffered a nine-wicket loss to Bangladesh in the first test in Darwin; the Australian side bounced back to win the second Test by an innings.
Instead of blaming the defeat on their preparation, the captain blamed their performance on the field for their shock loss.
“I just don't think we played very well,” Cummins said.
Australia were bowled out for 198 in their first innings; Bangladesh then showed a disciplined performance with both ball and bat to seal their first Test victory over the Aussies on Australian soil.
Cummins acknowledged Bangladesh's role in their loss, saying his side was not at its best while the visitors “played brilliantly”.
The Aussies' next venture awaits them in South Africa, with the side entering a three-Test series against South Africa starting in October.
The Test series is the first Test for Australia in South Africa since the infamous sandpaper scandal in 2018. This added another layer of suspense for the side as they look to improve their game.
Cummins was a part of that team and expects there to be some hostility from the South African crowd.
“There might be a little bit of hostility,” Cummins said.
However, Cummins does not believe that the atmosphere will affect the Aussie players. The captain compared the intensity to the Ashes in Birmingham, as part of the crowd was particularly vocal.
The Australian captain acknowledged that the team has moved on beyond the controversy, admitting that the controversy could be brought back up through the fans and the media, but the team is ready.
“Everyone moves on,” Cummins said.
The team's focus has been on the upcoming series against South Africa and their preparation instead of the events that took place eight years ago.
“Our group's moved on,” he said.
The Australian side faces an immense challenge after their Bangladesh series, as the series exposed areas of weakness. Australia's Test campaign in South Africa is scheduled to begin in October, with Cummins set to return to the red-ball side after sitting out Australia's ODI series against Zimbabwe to remain fresh for the upcoming Test campaign.
