Team Australia in action© AFP
Australia Test captain Pat Cummins expects greater workload with the ball for all-rounders Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy this summer. Cummins wants both the all-rounders to share the workload with the team’s frontline pace attack in the gruelling five-Test series starting November. “It’s been huge (having the all-rounders). In some ways we haven’t had to use them as much as we thought we would. Which is a great thing. The last couple of summers have been pretty light (with) quick Test matches,” Cummins said at the launch of Play Cricket week.
“I suspect this summer might be a bit different at time. We’ll be drawing on Cam Green and Mitch Marsh a bit more.
“Even someone like Cam basically started in Shield cricket as a bowler but hasn’t had to bowl heaps in Test matches. Now he is a few years older, I think we will be leaning on him a bit more,” he added.
The 25-year-old Green has bagged 35 wickets at 35.31 in 28 Tests so far in his career.
“The first point is they (Green and Marsh) both absolutely make the top six on their batting alone which is a luxury,” Cummins said.
“We’re really lucky that Nathan Lyon bowls plenty of overs, so you don’t necessarily have to have an all-rounder, but it makes a big difference to have that fifth bowling option.
“And with someone like Cam and Mitch we have six bowling options. It’s a really nice thing to have. Top six should always make the team on their batting.” Cummins’ bowling colleagues have been vocal about how having a bowling captain has benefited the team in managing the workload.
“It’s nice of them to say that, they’d never say it to my face,” Cummins said.
“When I’m at the top of their mark asking them to do something, they know I’m also doing it down the other end and wouldn’t ask for something I can’t do myself. Maybe there’s a bit of built-up trust over the last decade or so.”
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