Michael Vaughan is confident that Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, will find his rhythm again during the pink-ball Test against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Cummins had a tough time in the first Test at Perth, where he only took three wickets despite the pitch being favorable, leading to a heavy 295-run loss for Australia. Now, he’s feeling the heat as both a captain and a bowler to step up and motivate his team for a comeback in the second Test at Adelaide.

Vaughan pointed out that Cummins seemed a bit out of sorts in Perth since he hadn’t played a Test since March. “He’s a top-notch player, an excellent captain, and a fantastic bowler. But I have to say, he looked a bit off his game in the first Test,” he shared on The Follow On.

“He hadn’t been playing any cricket, especially in the longer format, since March. So I believe this week in Adelaide, he’ll be back to his usual pace after what he experienced last week,” he added.

Australia managed to dismiss India for just 150 runs in their first innings at Perth. However, the pace trio of Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood struggled in the second innings, allowing the visiting batsmen to take control and finish with a score of 487/6 declared.

Vaughan pointed out that the first Test would definitely help Cummins readjust to the red-ball game. “I think the first Test will be beneficial for him. He’s gotten some overs under his belt, which will help him get back into the longer format mindset, and I believe he’ll come out stronger from it,” he mentioned.

A slowdown in pace may explain Pat Cummins' subpar performance.

The Aussie captain's speed has taken a hit this year, making it tough for him to trouble the Indian batsmen on a pitch that had good pace and bounce. Vaughan chimed in on this too, noting that the reduced speed gives batters a bit more time to get comfortable.

“For Pat Cummins, pace is crucial. If he’s only hitting around 135, it gives the batsmen that extra moment to adapt to his movement and precision. We saw this during the Ashes a couple of years back; when England went after him, they looked like they were in control. With the field spread out, scoring runs became a lot easier,” Vaughan pointed out.

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