World Cup Victory As Australia battles India in Twenty20 Internationals, Captain Pat Cummins says the players are “Not Robots”

Pat Cummins, the captain of Australia, said on Tuesday that cricket players were “not robots,” citing his nation’s Twenty20 team’s struggles in India immediately after their 50-over World Cup victory.

Four days after the World Cup final on November 19, a five-match Twenty20 series began in India, with seven members of the winning Australian team staying behind.

The first two games were won by a subpar Indian team; reports from Australia said that Ben McDermott, Josh Philippe, and Chris Green were among the replacements sent to relieve the struggling World Cup heroes.

Given that the players—some of whom have been playing in India since September—had a hectic domestic cricket season ahead of them, including Test matches against Pakistan and the West Indies, Cummins recognized the strain on them.

At the Sydney Cricket Ground, he told reporters, “They’re humans, they’re not robots.”

“Playing a few days after a World Cup and giving it their all—I probably don’t blame them if they’re not at full strength.”

“These are still games for Australia, and it’s great that these tours do provide some of the younger guys, or guys who might not be in the first eleven, opportunities,” the captain said.

“These are worthwhile tours that offer a lot of benefits, in my opinion.”

After the Pakistan series, veteran opener David Warner, who was left out of the T20 team the night before the India series, is expected to say goodbye to Test cricket.

Warner, 37, was Australia’s top scorer at the World Cup with 535 runs, but his Test place has been in question after a poor run of red-ball play.

Warner was “hitting the ball beautifully at the moment,” according to Cummins.

Regarding Warner’s performances in India, he remarked, “He wasn’t just playing for himself out there; he would go and take the game on, be really brave and really take it to the opposition.”

Prior to Melbourne’s Boxing Day match, on December 14, Perth will host the first Test against Pakistan. On January 3, 2024, Warner’s home Sydney Cricket Ground will host the third and final Test.