NEW DELHI: Australia captain Pat Cummins described the upcoming ODI series against India, starting Sunday in Perth, as a special occasion, noting it might be the “last chance” for fans in Australia to watch Indian superstars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in action.
The 32-year-old pacer will miss the series due to a back injury and will watch from the sidelines.
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“Virat and Rohit have been part of almost every Indian side for the last 15 years, so this might be the last chance for the Australian public to see them playing out here,” Cummins told JioHotstar.
“They've been champions for India and are always very well supported. Whenever we play them, the crowd gets loud,” he added.
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Cummins expressed his disappointment at missing the series, which will also include matches in Adelaide and Sydney, followed by a five-match T20I series starting October 29.
“It’s a shame to miss the white-ball series against India. I think the crowds are going to be huge. There’s already a lot of excitement built up here in Australia,” he said. “Missing a big series like this is always a bit harder to take.”
He also outlined the team’s approach under stand-in captain Mitchell Marsh. “It’s three matches you want to win, but it’s also about giving exposure to younger players who weren’t part of the last World Cup. The goal is to see what they can do and make sure that once we get close to the World Cup, we know our 15-man squad and are well placed,” Cummins said.
On Mitchell Starc’s retirement from T20Is to focus on Tests, Cummins said he understood the decision. “Playing all three formats is tough. He’s a couple of years older than me and has played over 100 Tests. He wants to prioritise Test cricket. He’s had a fantastic T20I career, and there are plenty of other players who can step in and fill his shoes,” he added.
(PTI Inputs)
