Pat Cummins gives reason behind Australians being less aggressive: The Australian Test vice-captain has shared his opinion on recent allegations.
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Former Australia captain Michael Clarke’s comments regarding Australian players “sucking up” to the Indian players especially captain Virat Kohli to make sure they earn Indian Premier League contracts has started to receive responses from current cricketers.
“Everybody knows how powerful India are in regards to the financial part of the game, whether that be internationally or domestically in regards to the IPL.
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“So, I feel, Australian cricket, and probably every other team, over a little period went the opposite – actually sucked up to India. They were too scared to sledge Kohli or sledge the Indian players because they had to go and play with them in April,” Clarke was quoted as saying during the Big Sports Breakfast radio programme earlier this week.
While current Test captain Tim Paine completely disproved his predecessor’s statement, current Test vice-captain Pat Cummins has given a solid reason behind Australian players being less aggressive during India’s tour of Australia 2018-19.
Pat Cummins gives reason behind Australians being less aggressive
Speaking in an interview with BBC, Cummins pointed out how the Australian players were directed to behave on the ground as an aftermath of the infamous ball tampering scandal during the Cape Town Test in 2018.
“I think probably a bigger factor was six months before leading into that Indian series the media and everyone commentating on the Aussie cricket team were pretty clear in their direction in the way they wanted the Aussies team to go and that was playing a little bit less aggressively out on the field,” Cummins was quoted as saying by BBC.
Pat Cummins says he wouldn’t want to play if he can’t shine the red ball. pic.twitter.com/ZF22o1KTeS
— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) April 3, 2020
However, the 26-year old fast bowler did not rule out if an Australian player had the IPL contract at the back of his mind while playing against India.
“I’d say that would have been a bigger factor than trying to win or lose friends out on the cricket field. But you never know, that might have been a factor for some players,” Cummins said.
