"I’ve been arguing that he should be batting above me" - Mitchell Starc on Pat Cummins' batting credentials after 1st AUS vs PAK 2024 ODI
Australia left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc praised Pat Cummins' ability with the bat after closing out another run chase under pressure. The skipper rescued his side from trouble during the first ODI against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Monday, November 4, scoring an unbeaten 32 in a two-wicket win.
Australia were cruising to victory at one stage while chasing a 204-run target in the first match of the home season. However, Pakistan's pacers inflicted serious damage in the middle overs as the hosts slumped to 155-7 from 113-2.
Cummins came into bat at No. 9 and had to score the bulk of the runs in the end. Mitchell Starc supported him at the other end, playing his part by remaining unbeaten on 2 from 12 deliveries.
Cummins was at his calculative best by finding the gaps and boundaries at the right time to wrap up the chase with more than 16 overs remaining.
"Now he’s got his eyes fixed. We’ve been arguing for a couple years, well, I’ve been arguing that he should be batting above me. So he’s cemented that, I hope. But, a fantastic way for him to bring it home," Starc said after the first ODI (via the Roar).
Cummins has cultivated a reputation for being reliable with the bat under pressure. Apart from holding the record for the fastest fifty in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at one time, he has also played some crucial innings where his resilience came to the fore.
He had helped Australia close out the run chase in the 2023 Ashes opener in Edgbaston and was the perfect foil while Glenn Maxwell went berserk against Afghanistan at the Wankhede Stadium during the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Cummins played a similar role during Australia's tour of New Zealand earlier this year, contributing an unbeaten 32 during the fourth innings to close the chase.
"Always much prefer sitting in the changing room" - Pat Cummins
At one stage it seemed like Australia would coast to the target with plenty of wickets and overs to spare. Haris Rauf's double strike in the 21st over changed the game's complexion, leading to a tight finish.
"Tonight we got it done, always much prefer sitting in the changing room. Wonderful match but got a bit tighter than we would have liked," Cummins said during the post-match presentation.
Cummins has recorded over 1000 runs in red-ball cricket, including three fifties, while he has remained unbeaten in seven of his last 11 ODI innings.
The second ODI between Australia and Pakistan will be played at the Adelaide Oval on Friday, November 8.