As the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Adelaide Oval approaches, Australia captain Pat Cummins clarified to the media that there is no tension within the players and the dressing is not divided, contradicting what experts say.
Cummins told the press that he got it “100 per cent wrong” after the commentators misinterpreted Hazlewood’s comments in the first Test in Perth, making it look like he was passing the onus solely to the batsman. “The team is fantastic. Some commentators got that 100 percent wrong,” Cummins said. “We are prepared as always and go around each other. It’s a good feeling around the team. We don’t make it too much.”
“When things don’t go well, there are enough commentators who will support you but some who will definitely create some headlines. We try not to draw too much attention to it. We just go about our things.”
Asked whether Australia’s batsmen would follow what India put up in the final innings of the Test, Hazlewood said, “You probably have to ask one of the batsmen that question, I’m resting and trying to get up a bit. I’m looking forward to the next Test. am
Within days of the comments and Australia’s defeat, Cricket Australia announced that Hazlewood was injured and would not be available for the second Test, sparking further controversy.
Former Australian player Adam Gilchrist has expressed concern that there is division in the team’s changing room. “That tells me there’s possibly a split changing room. I don’t know if there is. I might be reading too much into it.”
The discussion also drew comments from former England captain Michael Vaughan, who did not hold back in expressing his shock. “I have to admit, I’m surprised by that. Josh Hazlewood is a great bowler, a great team member. Publicly, I’ve never heard an Australian come out and divide the camp into batsmen and bowlers.