Australia captain Pat Cummins on trying to retain world test championship against South Africa
10/06/2025
Lord's Cricket ground, London, Uk
10/06/2025
Lord's Cricket ground, London, Uk
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00I don't know what this is going to be.
00:04Yes, we do.
00:11Usman, Manas,
00:14Cam Green,
00:15Smith, Head,
00:17Bo Webster, Kerry,
00:19myself, Nathan Lyon,
00:22Josh Hayswood and Starkey.
00:24Starkey, not in that order.
00:30It's obviously clearly one of the big decisions
00:35has been that opening position.
00:38What's swayed you towards putting Manas there for this game?
00:42I think, you know, Cam Green,
00:44the last few weeks he's had,
00:45coming back in, great form.
00:48You know, we thought he deserves a spot
00:50somewhere in the batting line-up.
00:52We thought three probably suits him best.
00:54And then, you know,
00:55with Manas moving,
00:58we thought it's, you know,
00:59one spot-up, really.
01:00It's not too different to batting three.
01:03He's done well here in England in the past.
01:06You know, all the boys have trained well.
01:07Him and Sam and Josh Inglis,
01:08kind of this, you know,
01:09have all trained really well.
01:10But, yeah, I thought,
01:12well, selectors went with Manas,
01:13you know, experience
01:14and done well here at Lords,
01:16but in England in general.
01:17Just on that, Pat,
01:19is it just,
01:20are you just looking at this test match for that?
01:22And because Caribbean,
01:23the conditions will be different
01:24and things could happen.
01:26So it's just a one test match decision
01:28for it to open?
01:29Yeah, you know, absolutely.
01:30It's a final.
01:31So we just, you know,
01:32the selectors picked the best 11 for this week.
01:35Yeah, I think George said in the past,
01:37it's not a huge connection
01:38between this week and the Caribbean.
01:40It's quite separate.
01:41The main reason being,
01:42this is the final,
01:43different conditions.
01:44We just want to pick what's best for this week
01:45and kind of think about the windies after this game.
01:48And just with Cam Green and Bo Webster
01:50in the slipcourt,
01:51and like nothing can go past them.
01:53The greatest slipcourt in you, Bo, too?
01:56It's the widest.
01:58There was actually a few people,
01:59yeah, a few of the boys were watching them
02:00just go about their work yesterday,
02:02just in awe.
02:03Yeah, Manas, he got in there a bit
02:05and he said he,
02:06yeah, he felt like a little child
02:08standing around them.
02:09You know, he was trying his hardest
02:10to catch them
02:11whereas they were shelling peas.
02:12So, yeah, see how we go.
02:14But they look pretty impressive.
02:16Pat, just with the Bo Webster,
02:19obviously number six,
02:20how crucial do you see those overs
02:21and your assessment of the surface out there?
02:25It seems hard to know here at Lourdes.
02:27You either kind of don't need a fifth bowl
02:29or you really need one.
02:31I think, you know,
02:32some of the innings are either short or long.
02:33There's almost nothing in between.
02:35But, yeah, I think you saw in Sydney
02:36those seaming conditions
02:37and, you know, he was really effective.
02:40You know, it takes, you know,
02:42some key breakthroughs
02:43but can also hold up an end.
02:44But, yeah, I think these conditions
02:46were suiting well.
02:46So, he's done brilliantly with the bat as well.
02:50You know, in the, what is it,
02:51three test matches he's played so far.
02:53But I think his bowling will be crucial.
02:54And just with Scott Boland missing out,
02:57how is it, that decision just keeps getting tougher
02:59and tougher with each test?
03:01Yeah, it does.
03:03You know, you, there are some guys
03:05where you generally say, you know,
03:06you've done nothing wrong,
03:07don't change a thing,
03:08and that's Scott.
03:09He's just really unfortunate to miss out.
03:13You know, Joshie Hazel comes back in,
03:14we know how good he is.
03:15But, you know, I think the message to Scottie is,
03:19there's a lot of test cricket coming up
03:20in the next couple of years,
03:21and just because you're mid-30s doesn't mean,
03:23you know, you're missing this test
03:25and that's one test off your career.
03:27I think, you know, by having a squad of fast bowlers,
03:30hopefully we can extend all our careers
03:32for an extra couple of years.
03:33So, it's a really unfortunate Scottie misses this.
03:35But, yeah, kind of message to him is,
03:39don't feel like you're running out of time.
03:40We've still got lots of time, hopefully, in his career.
03:43Pat, Smudge thought yesterday
03:45that the pitch might dry up a little bit
03:49and Gaz might be suited late in the match.
03:50Have you had a good look at the pitch
03:52and any thoughts on that?
03:55I haven't looked today,
03:56but, yeah, I think it just looks like a really good wicket.
03:59You know, Lourdes can spin, you know,
04:01maybe late day three, but into day four and five.
04:05Again, it's one of those wickets that
04:06it can look like a good wicket
04:09and the clouds come over
04:09and it looks a little bit livelier,
04:12whatever that word is.
04:14So, yeah, it's hard to know,
04:17but traditionally I think, you know,
04:18spin does play a role here at Lourdes.
04:22Pat, just with the World Test Championship
04:24and I guess specifically with Manus' selection,
04:28is there a unique component to it
04:30where you are viewing it as a grand final
04:32and I guess the players who have sort of
04:35got you here over the last two years
04:37are rewarded in a sense?
04:39Has that been a big factor in his selection?
04:41I think it's part of the factor.
04:45You know, he's a somewhat, you know, known quantity.
04:48He's, you know, I think our selectors
04:51have probably shown you that they're happy to,
04:54they'd rather give someone, you know,
04:55an extra little run than pull the pin too early.
04:57And, yeah, you know, Manus, again,
05:01he's played some crucial knocks in getting us here.
05:03Look back to the MCG.
05:05You know, his batting was right up there
05:07as a difference in that match.
05:08So, yeah, I think it's part, you know,
05:11rewarding those guys that got us here.
05:13And Pat, there's probably some surprise at home
05:16that after what he did in the two tests over the summer
05:19that Sam Constance hasn't played since.
05:23Yeah, do you feel that there's any risk
05:24that you've kind of missed a chance
05:26just with his development to have him in the team?
05:29So in the tests you've played so far this year?
05:30Oh, you know, it's something the selectors
05:33are always weighing up.
05:35You know, realistically, he's really young.
05:38He's got a long career ahead of him.
05:39So hopefully, you know, even by not playing,
05:41being in Sri Lanka and here,
05:42they're learning opportunities.
05:44But at the same time, you've got guys like Bo Webster
05:46who are starting out their test career as well.
05:48Obviously, Cam Green comes back in here.
05:50Josh Inglis got a chance to start his test career.
05:52So I think it's a good problem that we have, you know,
05:56three or four guys who are all right on the fringe
06:00and the cusp of getting a good run in test cricket.
06:06What are you expecting from South Africa
06:08in terms of the way they might play
06:10and looking at their side,
06:11where do you see the threats coming to your team from?
06:15I think there's a few unknowns.
06:18You know, just the personnel.
06:19We've probably played about half of the guys before,
06:22about half we haven't played, you know,
06:24in red ball cricket, throwing, you know,
06:26Duke's ball, neutral ground.
06:28And there's a few more unknowns going into the test match,
06:30which is exciting.
06:32I think we're going to have to problem-solve
06:33on our feet a bit more.
06:34I think, no doubt, you know,
06:35they're bowlers we have seen a little bit of
06:37and, you know, there's a couple of big wicket-takers there.
06:41You know, Rabada and Maharaj have been around
06:43for a fair while now and been successful.
06:45So they're an obvious threat.
06:47But, again, some of those younger or, you know,
06:49newer guys into the team that we haven't seen before,
06:51we're going to have to be pretty sharp on.
06:54Pat, this is obviously a ground you guys do traditionally very well on.
06:57How do you feel being back at Lourdes?
06:58Obviously, last time you were here,
07:00slightly controversial circumstances.
07:03Yeah, it's been great.
07:04Yeah, great few days.
07:06Maybe there's no crowds that helps,
07:07but it's been...
07:09It's always good to be back here.
07:10Yeah, it's such an iconic ground
07:13and we do enjoy playing over here.
07:15And, yeah, you know,
07:16someone like Smitty's scored a lot of runs here.
07:19You know, past three or four Ashes series and test matches,
07:22I think we've won or gone close to winning every test.
07:26So, yeah, it's a place we like playing at.
07:28Even, you know, white ball cricket,
07:30we've had some success here as well.
07:31And what sort of reception are you expecting
07:33given what happened two years ago?
07:35A lot of people are saying the neutrals
07:37will be behind South Africa as well.
07:39Probably.
07:39Yeah, hard to know.
07:42There's a lot of Aussies here in London,
07:43so I'm sure there'll be lots of Aussies out there.
07:46Lots of South African fans as well.
07:48And, yeah, I wouldn't be surprised
07:49if the English have a few supporting South Africa as well.
07:53But, yeah, we'll wait and see.
07:56Over the period of time where I guess you've seen glimpses
07:58of Marnas, you know, making contributions,
08:02but maybe not at the same level as he had previously,
08:04have you sort of talked to him about, I guess,
08:06what you want from him,
08:07the way you think he's best suited to play,
08:10whether it's three or opening this week?
08:13Yeah.
08:14No, I have.
08:15I think, you know, the extra relay to that is
08:17I do believe the wickets in Australia
08:19or the pitchers in Australia have been as hard as,
08:23you know, they've ever been,
08:24probably, in test cricket for the top order.
08:25You know, probably the start of his test career
08:29was similar to my start
08:30and they were pretty flat batting wickets in general,
08:33whereas the last few years have been really tough going
08:35for the top order.
08:36So I think there's that extra relay.
08:38But, you know, I think it's similar conversations
08:40to, you know, Davey Warner over here.
08:42I think it's more about the style
08:44and how they go about it.
08:45You know, we love when they're busy
08:46and they're putting pressure back on the bowlers.
08:48And, you know, that's our message here to Marnus.
08:52You know, opening the batting can be tough,
08:53but it can also be sometimes the best time to bat here
08:56before the Dukes ball actually starts swinging.
08:59You know, there's runs to be scored there.
09:00So just, you know, keeping that positive intent,
09:02I think, is when he's batting his best.
09:04And are you crossing fingers and toes
09:06that Nathan Lyon doesn't pop a cup at Lawrence again?
09:09Yes. Yeah, I wish he didn't say that.
09:17Pat, just on your comment on the pitchers,
09:18getting tougher.
09:19Do you think that sort of coincided
09:21with the World Test Championship, you know,
09:23coming in six years ago
09:24and, you know, teams looking to win
09:26to sort of boost their points they can get?
09:29I've got no idea.
09:32In Australia, I don't really feel like that comes into it.
09:36I think most venues just seem to try
09:38and make the best kind of wicket they can.
09:42You know, I think after a couple of those flat years,
09:45you know, SCG, MCG,
09:48in particular have tried to create, you know,
09:50sportier wickets.
09:51So I don't think it's related to the WTC,
09:54but I'm not, yeah, not part of those conversations.
09:59Pat, in the larger context of the game,
10:01where does this WTC final feature,
10:03if you compare it with the ODI World Cup final
10:05or T20 World Cup final,
10:06because there is so much hype,
10:08buzz around those white ball format
10:10and this red ball format,
10:11how you look at that?
10:14It's an ICC trophy,
10:15so it's right up there.
10:16You only get a few opportunities,
10:17you know,
10:18if you're lucky in your career
10:19to try and win one.
10:21So it's a trophy we've spoken a lot about
10:24over the last couple of years.
10:25You know,
10:25we wanted to be in this final.
10:26You know,
10:28personally,
10:28I think that 2023 World Cup title
10:30is going to be tough to beat.
10:32But, yeah,
10:33this is a good one.
10:34Test cricket's my favourite format.
10:36You've got to basically win
10:39in all different conditions
10:40to make it into this final.
10:41You're competing against all Test player nations.
10:43So it's really special to be here in the final
10:45and, yeah,
10:46we can retain that mace.
10:48That's a pretty awesome thing for this team.
10:50a couple more places.
10:52Pat,
10:53Jimmy Anderson was here yesterday
10:55watching you guys train
10:56and he said that he rated Rabada over you.
10:58I just wondered what your response to that might be.
11:01Cool.
11:03No worries.
11:18Pat,
11:19given this team's history
11:20in big finals
11:22and in comparison to South Africa's,
11:23how much do you use that
11:24in terms of
11:25when the game will get in the crunch
11:27and big moments?
11:29Hopefully it helps.
11:30You know,
11:30I think
11:31just about everyone in the team,
11:33I have to think about it.
11:34Everyone in the team's been in a final before
11:36and,
11:37yeah,
11:38I think in some ways,
11:40you know,
11:41with experience,
11:42you want to,
11:43in some success,
11:44you just want to experience more of it
11:46and that means
11:46when the going gets tough
11:47or the pressure's on,
11:48you embrace that,
11:50you take it on,
11:51you know,
11:51you want to be the match winner,
11:52you hopefully don't get overwhelmed
11:54by big moments.
11:56So,
11:56that's been most of the conversation this week
11:58is the guys just have excitement.
11:59They want to get out there,
12:00they want to play well,
12:01they want to win.
12:01There's no fear of failure
12:04or if it doesn't pan out,
12:05it's just an excitement to get going.
12:11Pat,
12:11just following on from before,
12:13I guess,
12:13about this being sort of an isolated test
12:15in terms of how the team's been picked,
12:17do you see it,
12:18like with the Ashes coming up later in the year,
12:20do you see it as important that Sam plays in the West Indies?
12:23I think we'll get through this match and see.
12:28Ideally,
12:29we've got guys who are,
12:30you know,
12:30by that first test,
12:31it's,
12:32you've got,
12:33you know,
12:33your side pretty settled,
12:35you know,
12:35a fair way out.
12:36So,
12:36I'm sure,
12:37some sure cricket will come into it before that series.
12:39There's a lot of water to go under that bridge,
12:41but,
12:41yeah,
12:42in a perfect world,
12:42you've got lots of guys
12:43who have played some test matches,
12:46quite a few test matches leading to that Ashes.
12:48Pat,
12:50two years ago,
12:50you won the Mace
12:51and $400,000.
12:54Now,
12:54you're playing for the share of $9 million.
12:58Is that significant?
12:59What does it mean?
13:01I'm not sure the maths are exactly right there,
13:03Jim.
13:04I've got the comparison,
13:05Rachel.
13:06Is it five and a half and it's three and a half?
13:09I don't know,
13:10honestly,
13:11but,
13:12yeah,
13:14I mean,
13:14it's,
13:14it's good.
13:16You know,
13:16test cricket is something we all value.
13:17There's,
13:18there's a lot of dollars flying around in franchise cricket,
13:20um,
13:21that,
13:21you know,
13:21can,
13:22can,
13:22um,
13:23a series can kind of come and go without you even noticing it.
13:26Whereas I think a test series that has real worth,
13:28um,
13:30by whatever it is,
13:31if it's TV viewership,
13:32if it's,
13:33you know,
13:34being able to fly your family to London and,
13:37um,
13:37be part of an amazing final that the world stops and watches,
13:40or if it's a,
13:41you know,
13:41financial benefit from winning a tournament,
13:43if that helps test cricket,
13:44I think that's only a good thing.
13:46Great.