Australia Test captain Pat Cummins is gearing up for another tightly-fought battle against India in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy, beginning on November 22 in Perth.

The five-match Test series could have major implications for the World Test Championship (WTC) finals, with both India and Australia vying for a spot. Cummins, reflecting on past encounters, anticipates a challenging series, much like the 2020-21 clash, which was decided in the final session of the last Test at Gabba.

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Cummins highlighted the element of attrition that accompanies series against India. “The last series came down to the last session at the Gabba on the last day of the last Test match. That’s a good thing to keep in mind; it is a long series, and it might be tightly held until the last game, so you’ve got to manage your resources throughout,” said Cummins. Australia will be keen to overturn the 2-1 defeat from 2020-21, a series remembered for Rishabh Pant’s match-winning knock that sealed India’s historic triumph.

Cummins also touched upon the absence of fast bowling all-rounder Cameron Green, who is sidelined due to a stress fracture in his back. “Really sympathetic. We want him bowling, Cam wants to be bowling, and he has a long career ahead of him. He’s young, so I’m sure he’ll be right in the long run,” Cummins added. The 31-year-old, who has dealt with back injuries earlier in his career, noted that injuries are an unfortunate part of fast bowling, but he remains confident in Green’s return.

Having missed Australia’s white-ball series against England and Scotland to rest, Cummins is determined to lead Australia to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which they haven’t lifted since 2014-15. With India aiming for a historic third consecutive series win Down Under, the stage is set for a gripping contest between two of the world’s top Test teams.

Cummins also addressed Australia’s batting order, noting, “It’s up to me and Ron [McDonald] to set the order. There’s always commentary around everything to do with cricket, but we’re still a fair way out from the series.”

The highly-anticipated series will see matches held in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney, adding further excitement to an already thrilling rivalry.