IND v AUS | Easier to bowl with softer ball, but smaller boundaries present challenge, says Pat Cummins

After enjoying their own brand of success over the past few months — Australia in Tests and India in all three formats — the two giants of cricket are set to meet in a three-match ODI series next week. Beginning in Mumbai on January 14, the series will move to Rajkot — on January 17 — and Bengaluru — on January 19 — to complete the short tour. 

Cummins, the current #1 ranked Test bowler, talked to reporters regarding the different challenges that the Indian conditions possess for a fast bowler bowling with white balls. 

“Upfront there’s always a little bit in it with a new ball like anywhere else in the world. But then after that, I actually feel that the ball gets probably a little bit softer and chewed up more over there than it does in other parts of the world which makes it a little bit easier sometimes bowling with a bit of a softer ball,” Cummins told PTI.

“But it’s just a different challenge, the fields there are a lot smaller and faster than here in Australia, the wickets aren’t as pacey and bouncy but it’s the same format just a slightly different beast,” he said.

India are on a roll with successive series wins across all formats, but the Aussies can take confidence from their comeback series-win in a five-match ODI series last year on Indian soil. Though Cummins is not expecting dust-bowls, the 26-year-old is certain that the spinners in his team — left-arm spinner Ashton Agar and leg spinner Adam Zampa — will play major roles if they are to succeed.

“I think spinners play a bigger part in India than they do around the world but it’s rare you get a big spinning dust bowl for a one day international. The last series I think we played two spinners, they also played two so they are certainly important, especially in the middle overs,” Cummins added.