"Cameron Green has got a blueprint of how to play going forward"- Pat Cummins on Australia's new No. 4
Australian Test captain Pat Cummins was delighted with the way all-rounder Cameron Green batted at No. 4 against New Zealand in the first Test in Wellington. Green won the Player of the Match award for his sensational 174 in the first innings as the visitors won the game by 172 runs.
Cummins understands the challenges a batter has to encounter when the team ask them to play a new role and was impressed with how quickly Green adapted.
Speaking to the reporters after the end of the first Test, Cummins said:
"I thought it was incredibly impressive and it's given him a good blueprint of how to play going forward. Batting four is a little bit different, but the tempo of the innings was what stood out to me. We know he can spend time and build up his innings that way, but this was a slightly different way he went about it."
Cummins also shed light on how well Green had adjusted to different conditions in Test cricket, be it his 77 against Sri Lanka in Galle or his maiden Test hundred against India in Ahmedabad.
The skipper reckons the latest century knock will give Green great perspective on how to get out of tough situations in the future.
Pat Cummins on Cameron Green's approach in Wellington
Cameron Green also frustrated the Kiwis with a 10th wicket stand of 116 runs with Josh Hazlewood. Pat Cummins was impressed with how Green farmed the strike and yet ensured the runs kept coming at a fair clip.
"I thought he (Green) had really clear game plans – used his feet, put pressure on the bowlers but picked his balls, left well and ducked when he needed to. I thought he played it beautifully, sucked up the pressure for four balls then across to Joshy for the last couple. It was a really smart way he went about it, and the scoreboard didn't stop either," he stated.
Cummins believes Green's success at No. 4 is a testament to the faith the selectors showed in the youngster as Steve Smith took up the opening role post David Warner's retirement.