‘Not functioning’: Australia captain Cummins tips batting review after Bangladesh shock
FILE PHOTO: Cricket – 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final – South Africa v Australia – Lord’s Cricket Ground, London, Britain – June 13, 2025 Australia’s Pat Cummins reacts Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers/File Photo
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Aug 16 : Australia captain Pat Cummins has backed his team to rebound from a stunning nine-wicket loss to Bangladesh in the series-opener in Darwin but concedes changes may be needed to fix the team’s troubled batting.
The world’s top-ranked test nation were bowled out for 198 in the first innings on a tepid pitch at Marrara Oval, with only their 37-year-old master Steve Smith able to produce a decent score (71).
All-rounder Cameron Green struck a defiant 104 in Australia’s second innings of 284 to ease pressure on his place in the team but there were few other contributors to set Bangladesh a proper chase for victory.
Cummins said Australia had no excuses for their performance in the first home test loss to the ninth-ranked South Asian nation, rating his team’s preparations as excellent.
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“I thought the day one wicket (had) a little bit (in it) early but obviously we’ve got to try and find a way to bat a little bit longer than we did, and then (we) just couldn’t penetrate with the ball,” he said.
“I think every time there’s a game like this, you always kind of look at your match-ups and your make-up with the team for the next one.
“But we only just finished, we’ll have a think about it,” he added.
“We’re pretty good at bouncing back, so no doubt the batters and every group will get together and have a good think about this one and where we can improve.”
The second and final test is in Mackay, Queensland, from August 22.
Selectors stuck with the struggling duo of opener Jake Weatherald and number three Marnus Labuschagne but their continued poor form may be harder to ignore in the wake of Darwin.
Weatherald spent the winter working on his technique after an underwhelming debut test series in the Ashes but he never looked comfortable at the crease in front of his hometown crowd, dismissed for 23 and 0.
Labuschagne made one run from 20 balls in the first innings and was bowled for 31 in the second with a clumsy heave at the left-arm spin of all-rounder Taijul Islam.
“It’s pretty clear it’s not quite functioning as well as we’d like as a group, so I’m sure the batters will get together and talk,” said Cummins.
“Review some footage, review methods, their approaches to how they were this week. If we need to make some changes to our style, we’ve got a week or so and we better do it pretty quickly.”
Source: Reuters
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