"I don’t think we’re as abrasive as we’ve been in the past" - Australian captain Pat Cummins
Australian Test captain Pat Cummins recently asserted that the side are not as unruly as they were a few years ago and are only competitive. Cummins also reckons that Australia have moved on from the Newlands' ball-tampering scandal of 2018 ahead of facing South Africa in the three-Test series.
The ball-tampering scandal that occurred when the two sides last played in a Test series has been a significant talking point in the build-up to the upcoming series. The infamous events shook Australian cricket to its core.
However. six players from that Cape Town game, including Steve Smith and David Warner, will play in the first Test, starting on Saturday (December 17).
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Speaking ahead of the opening game of the series in Brisbane, Cummins stated that Australia are a different team. The 29-year-old also declared that the side will stay unified no matter what.
He said, as quoted by The Age:
"We’ve all moved on, done with it. I think you’ve seen over the last 12 months 11 different individuals going out there to play. We all play slightly differently but seeing a lot of laughter, I don’t think we’re as abrasive as we’ve been in the past. It’s working for us.
"How we are off the field is pretty similar to what we play on the field I think - calm, very chill, just enjoying it out there, really competitive. And we’ve done that really well over the last 12 months."
He continued:
"Going into this series as well, just be ourselves. Don’t try and feel like we have to act in a certain way. We’re really strong on who we are as a team, how we want to go about it.
"The last 12 months have been a great example of that. We’re pretty firm on how we want to act and conduct ourselves. Whatever gets thrown at us won’t change that."
A significant amount of focus is likely to be on David Warner, who was not only the mastermind of the incident in 2018 but is currently struggling with the bat. The left-handed batter faces a stiff test from South Africa's four-pronged pace attack as he tries to bounce back from a lean patch.
Pat Cummins returns to Australia's XI after missing the last Test
Cummins returned for the first Test against the Proteas in Brisbane after recovering from a quad injury. The right-arm speedster missed the day-night contest against the West Indies, prompting Steve Smith to take over the reins.
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Right-arm seamer Scott Boland will play as the third seamer, with Josh Hazlewood's side strain ruling him out. The Proteas last played a Test at the Gabba in 2012.