[Watch] "I will find some" - Pat Cummins' hilarious reply when told that Australia have no excuses for losing upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Australia's Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins came up with a hilarious response when told that the hosts have no excuses to lose to India in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He cheekily commented that he will find one.
India have beaten Australia in the last two Test series' played Down Under. They won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2018-19 and again in 2020-21 by 2-1 margins. The upcoming edition of the competition will be played from November 22 to January 7, beginning with the first Test in Perth.
In a light-hearted conversation during his appearance on The Grade Cricketer Podcast, Cummins admitted that both the home defeats to India hurt. He, however, opined that the loss in 2018-19 was more painful of the two. Cummins stated:
"I thought the series before that [in 2018-19] was worse because we got completely beaten. That series [2020-21] was quite tightly fought I thought. They played fantastically well to win at The Gabba. That was annoying, but I felt the series before, where we were like completely outplayed, that one hurt more."
Responding to the Australian fast bowler's comments, one of the interviewers pointed out that the hosts had excuses to lose in 2018-19 as they were without David Warner and Steve Smith, who were serving bans for their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal. He then cheekily commented that the Aussies have no excuses this time. To this, Cummins wittily replied:
"I will find some (smiles). He [Cameron Green] was going to open the batting and bowling."
Watch video below (from 42:45)
All-rounder Green has been ruled out of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy due to a fifth stress fracture in his lower back. The 25-year-old will undergo a lower spine surgery and is set to be out of cricketing action for at least six months.
How Pat Cummins performed in the last two Border-Gavaskar contests at home
Cummins had a decent Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2018-19 even as India won the series 2-1. In four Tests, he picked up 14 wickets at an average of 27.78, with one five-wicket haul. He was the fourth-leading wicket-taker in the edition after Jasprit Bumrah (21), Nathan Lyon (21) and Mohammed Shami (16).
In the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the right-arm pacer was the leading wicket-taker, with 21 scalps in four matches, averaging 20.04, with three four-wicket hauls, including a best of 4-21. Overall, the 31-year-old has played 13 Tests against India and has claimed 50 wickets at an average of 26.18.