Just one step away from a second World title in 2023, Pat Cummins, the Australian captain, wore a calm, serene expression on the eve of a match that may well define his legacy as an Australian captain. And it wasn’t a contrived expression, but an assured one.
Australia have faced a rollercoaster journey in the tournament, grappling with challenges that sent them to “rockbottom” just two games in. However, they’ve since crafted an impressive streak of eight straight victories. India, their formidable opponents, stand on a high with ten consecutive wins. Amidst the controversy surrounding the pitch at Wankhede, Cummins remained unfazed when probed about the conditions in Ahmedabad.
“I’m not a great pitch reader, but it looked pretty firm. They’ve only just watered it, so yeah, give it another 24 hours and have a look, but it looks like a pretty good wicket. I think it’s been a bit more high scoring here (than Kolkata) throughout the tournament, so yeah, hard to say,” Cummins shared.
Dismissing the narrative of India seeking revenge for the 2003 World Cup, he acknowledged the present has little to do with that history, given none of the players were part of that squad. Nevertheless, the prospect of playing before an anticipated crowd of over a hundred thousand Indian fans is seen as an unparalleled experience.
“Yeah, I mean, neither player from both sides were there in 2003, so it feels like a long time ago, but we know it’s going to be a packed house. There’s going to be 130,000 fans here supporting India. So, it’s going to be awesome,” he said.
Cummins recognized the strength of the Indian side but expressed confidence in Australia’s ability to compete, drawing on their recent experiences against India.
“They’ve been playing really well, undefeated this tournament. But we know at our best we can give them a good shake. We’ve played them quite a lot over the last couple years with success so it’s all building up for a nice final,” the captain explained.
He also praised his opening bowlers, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, for their pivotal performance in the semi-final against South Africa, which displayed their capacity to influence the game significantly in high-stakes matches.
Cummins reflected on Australia’s earlier encounter with India in the World Cup, admitting it was not their best batting display but also reminded everyone of the close nature of that contest.
“I don’t think we scored par in that first game but we’re one catch away from potentially being in front of that game. We won an ODI series here early on in the year. There’s lots of moments we can draw on where we’ve had success against a really good Indian side.”
The Australian skipper spoke about embracing the challenge of an away crowd, aiming to “hear a big crowd go silent” and ensuring they end the day with no regrets, irrespective of the outcome.
Cummins candidly admitted that doubts crept in after early losses, but the team bounced back, determined to be “flawless” moving forward. This resilience and adaptability have been key to their campaign thus far.
“I think one of the pleasing things is I still don’t feel like we’ve played the complete game,” Cummins observed. “There have been no huge wins. We’ve had to fight for every win, but we’ve found a way to win. And different players have stood up at different times.”
The captain discussed potential squad changes in light of the conditions, suggesting that Marcus Stoinis might play ahead of Marnus Labuschagne if the pitch favors batting, but emphasized the team’s depth and readiness.
The significance of winning another World title in a year that already includes a World Test Championship and an Ashes victory was not lost on Cummins, who described it as a potentially “career-defining year.”
“It would just top off an incredible year and probably a career-defining year that a lot of us will look back on in years to come and be pretty proud of,” he said.
Cummins acknowledged the difference in climate between Kolkata and Ahmedabad, including the factor of dew in the latter stages of the game, and how it might influence their strategies.
Finally, when discussing Australia’s World Cup legacy and the possibility of joining the ranks of captains who have secured World Cup victories, Cummins described such an achievement as “huge.” He brushed off any notion of Australia being outright favorites, emphasizing the even match-up and the experience of World Cup-winning players in their ranks.
“I think it’s going to be an even match. I think you can make a case for either side. The good thing is I think we’ve got six or seven guys that won it in 2015 so we know that feeling…won’t be afraid to go out there and be brave and take the game on.”
As Australia stands a step away from another historic triumph, their captain embodies a composed determination, ready to lead his team onto the grandest stage, striving to add one more glorious chapter to their storied legacy.