Pat Cummins named Man of the Series after India beat Australia in Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Pat Cummins was named the Man of the Series in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after picking up 21 wickets over the course of the four-match series. No player took more wickets in the series than the Australia pacer, who once again showed why he is the number one ranked bowler in Test cricket.
Despite Pat Cummins' best efforts, India beat Australia 2-1 to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Rishabh Pant helped the tourists pull off an improbable win in the fourth Test at the Gabba. And Cummins felt that the Aussies were simply outplayed by Team India in the series.
"Good hard day of Test cricket today, I thought Rishabh and the whole Indian side played fantastically, took the game on and deserved the win. I would have liked the cracks to play a few more tricks, but it was a pretty good wicket. Once you were in, it was pretty free-flowing, the runs. I thought today and in Sydney the game was ours to win on day five, but we didn't take enough wickets today, but overall pretty happy," Cummins said during the post-match presentation ceremony.
After Australia won the first Test, India beat the hosts in the second match to level the series at 1-1. The visitors then battled hard to draw the third game before clinching a memorable victory in the series deicder at the Gabba.
Pat Cummins' effort in vain as Australia suffer shock series defeat to India
Pat Cummins was without a doubt the most consistent bowler over the course of the series. His 21 wickets came at an average of 20.04 and a strike-rate of 46.3. No other player had a better strike-rate than the Australian vice-captain in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Without his heroic performance at the Gabba (he took six wickets in the fourth Test), Australia's margin of defeat would have been even bigger. The 27-year-old also played a few handy cameos with the bat in the series.
But all his efforts were in vain, as India showed great resilience to overcome the odds and beat Australia 2-in the four-match series. Pat Cummins is one Australian player who did not deserve to be on the losing team.