Australia’s Cummins hoping for life in second Test wicket

Sydney - Cummins said sideways movement from the Adelaide track had aided the Australian cause

Cummins took 4-21, including the key wickets of Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara, and fellow quick Josh Hazlewood 5-8 to skittle India for 36 on Saturday and fire Australia to an eight-wicket victory and a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.

Sideways movement from the Adelaide track had aided the Australian cause, Cummins said, and he was hoping the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) wicket would have some life in it as well.

“I thought the Ashes test (in 2017) and the Indian Test at the MCG a couple of years ago were pretty flat and boring wickets as a bowler,” said Cummins.

“Last year against New Zealand it was a really good wicket. It has a bit of sideways and pace and bounce. Hopefully it will be much the same.

“I think not only as a player but as a fan, they are the best wickets, when it is a good battle between bat and ball. You feel like if you do your skill well, you can have a big impact.”

Australia will head off to Melbourne with confidence high after their remarkable victory but captain Tim Paine warned that their batting needed to improve after they gave up a 53-run first innings deficit in Adelaide.

“It’s a good thing to have a good win and not play anywhere near our best,” said Paine, whose unbeaten 73 helped limit the first-innings damage.

“I’m absolutely rapt with how we bowled in this test, but we’ve still got a lot of work to do with our batting - our first innings was well below what we’d expect.”

David Warner returning from a groin injury would certainly help and the opener flew to Melbourne with his family on Saturday as a precaution after an outbreak of Covid-19 in his home city, local media reported.