"I thought Pat grossly under-bowled himself" - Allan Border reflects on the Delhi Test against India

Former Australian captain Allan Border reckons the first two Tests in India overwhelmed Pat Cummins. The 65-year-old believes the captain underbowled himself in the second Test in Delhi as a quick burst from him could have brought wickets.

Cummins bowled only 13 overs in the Delhi Test, including none in the second innings, for the wicket of Ravichandran Ashwin. With Australia picking three spinners in the Test, there wasn't much assistance for the lone quick in the Test.

Speaking on SENQ’s Pat & Heals, Border felt Cummins could have brought himself for an over or two when India were on the verge of ascendancy in the first innings by bowling a few short-pitched deliveries.

"To me, the fast bowler, it’s always fraught with danger. I thought Pat grossly under-bowled himself in that Test match. There were opportunities when things were starting to go stray, particularly in the Indian first innings when we had them on the ropes and they formed a good partnership, a couple of blasts from him running in and bowling some short stuff for two or three overs, I think maybe that’s when the batsman (captain) will have seen it.”

Despite the number one ranked Test bowler under bowling himself, Australia did a decent job in the first innings by restricting the hosts to 262. Off-spinner Nathan Lyon snared five scalps, while Todd Murphy and Matthew Kuhnemann took two each.

"He’s worried about lots of different things" - Allan Border

Allan Border. (Image Credits: Getty)

Border sympathized with Cummins and felt such things can happen to bowlers when they are captains. The cricketer-turned-commentator added:

"There are other guys out on the field I suppose who could go to the captain and say, ‘mate, why don’t you have a bowl’? But I just thought this is Pat’s first real test as a captain, the rest has been plain sailing, you go to the sub-continent and all of a sudden you get tested out in all sorts of areas."

He further noted:

"He’s worried about lots of different things, he forgot about himself bowling I think. That’s what can happen in those situations when your premier fast bowler is your captain.”

Meanwhile, the 29-year-old has returned home due to some personal reasons but is expected to return in time for the third Test against India in Indore, starting on March 1.