Cummins Expects Smith's Big Score to Emerge Soon

Brisbane, Dec 13 (NationPress) Ahead of the Test match in Brisbane, Australia’s captain Pat Cummins voiced his belief that a substantial score is on the horizon for the renowned batsman Steve Smith, who has yet to make a noteworthy contribution in the series against India so far.

Smith's performance this year has seen him average only 23.20 across seven Tests, with his sole half-century being recorded against the West Indies in Brisbane last January. After returning to his preferred batting position at number four, Smith has struggled against India, scoring 0, 17, and 2 in his recent outings.

“When you analyze his record, statistics indicate that runs are likely just around the corner. Particularly this year, he has been looking exceptional in the nets, appearing sharp and composed, and executing his usual techniques effectively. He got caught down the leg side in the last match, which I think isn’t something to overanalyze, so I’m confident a big score is imminent,” Cummins stated to reporters before the third Test.

With the series tied at 1-1, the forthcoming Test at the Gabba holds significant importance for both teams as they aim to take the lead in the series and secure valuable World Test Championship points.

“There is certainly a sense of pride in winning on home soil. These are our familiar conditions, the environments in which we were raised playing. In modern cricket, one of the toughest challenges is winning Test series away from home,” he added.

“To qualify for the World Test Championship, it’s essential to win all home series and try to snag victories overseas whenever possible. We enter every home series here with the expectation to win, as that’s the standard we’ve set for ourselves,” Cummins elaborated.

Reflecting on their performance in Brisbane after facing defeats against India and the West Indies in 2021 and 2024 respectively, Cummins remarked, “I examined the pitch yesterday – it appeared to be in good condition, similar to the last few years. A bit of sunlight on it over the past days means it doesn’t look as green as it did during the Test against South Africa, which concluded in just two days in 2022.

“It’s merely a venue. We play at numerous locations every year. Returning to a familiar ground is always pleasant... but the scoreboard resets at 0-0, so the venue isn’t the ultimate factor,” he added.

Cummins concluded by stating that he intends to persist with his strategy of using bouncers when bowling to lower-order Indian batsmen, a tactic that previously earned him a five-wicket haul in Adelaide.

“It’s always in the back of your mind as a contingency plan, or if it appears to be yielding results, it becomes the primary strategy for certain batsmen. It proved effective in Adelaide, so I’m confident we’ll implement it at some point. For the tailenders, it looked like a wicket was quite probable,” the Australian captain remarked.