Pat Cummins torched over brutal Virat Kohli mistake that could cost Australia the Test series
As well as going down 1-0 in the series, the Aussies have also allowed Virat Kohli to get back in form.
Mark Taylor and Matthew Hayden have both questioned Pat Cummins' baffling captaincy that allowed Virat Kohli to rediscover his form with a sparkling century in the first cricket Test. The Aussies are heading for a humiliating loss in Perth, but to make matters worse they've also allowed Kohli to get back in form.
The 36-year-old had only made two centuries in his last 60 Test innings before making 100 not out on Sunday against Australia. He'd only scored 93 runs at an average of 15.5 in India's recent 3-0 home defeat to New Zealand, and questions were emerging about whether he was finished at Test level.
But the Indian superstar has rediscovered his magic in a crushing blow that could have ramifications for the whole series. With Kohli back in form and India on the cusp of a 1-0 series lead, the tourists are now red-hot favourites to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
And Taylor and Hayden both identified a captaincy mistake from Cummins that handed it to Kohli on a platter. The former captain came to crease with India at 2-275 on day three, with India already holding a lead of over 300.
Pat Cummins 'missed a trick' when Virat Kohli came in
Cummins had resorted to some very defensive field placings as Yashavi Jaiswal peeled off a magnificent 161, and the Aussie skipper was trying to stem the flow of runs by putting fielders back on the boundary. But Hayden and Taylor both said Cummins needed to attack more when Kohli came to the crease and put more pressure on him.
Cummins kept fielders out and allowed Kohli to get underway far too easily, building into his innings with simple singles and rotating the strike. Speaking on Channel 7 after stumps, Hayden said Cummins needed to put more pressure on Kohli so he couldn't get going as easily - and his failure to do so backfired brutally.
"They missed a few tricks with Virat Kohli in the early part of his innings," Hayden said. "Nathan Lyon had mid-on back, one on the off-side catching and a mid-wicket. I felt like it was so easy for him to get off strike.
"You can't cut a sucker an even break when a bloke is under pressure as he was. The field we actually finished with - two slips, no point, a man straight - it offered up the outside edge of his bat as well. He found it a little more frustrating. When he got the bit between the teeth, it was too late.
"And that can be the same story also for the earlier partnership yesterday. A long time to explore the short ball options. Jaiswal looked vulnerable against it. Maybe tiny things with Pat Cummins, the ability to think through these decisions. They were shell-shocked from the average batting performance (in the first innings) and as we see now, again, bombs are going."
On Triple M radio, former Test captain Taylor expressed the exact same sentiment. Taylor said Cummins was far too passive and predicted it could haunt Australia for the rest of the Test series.
Aussies have gifted Kohli a century here. In atrocious form and no pressure on him when he first walks out to bat. I’m a fan of Cummins but his captaincy has been poor.
— Brendan Foster (@BrendanfFoster) November 24, 2024
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History against Australia if India take 1-0 series lead
Australia would need a miracle to avoid going down 1-0 in the series after they were reduced to 3-12 at stumps while chasing a record total of 534. And if they do end up losing the first Test, they'd need to achieve something they haven't done in 27 years.
The last time Australia lost the first Test and came back to win a series was back in 1997. On that occasion it was Taylor's team who were belted by nine wickets in the first Ashes Test against England, before managing to fight back for a 3-2 series triumph.
