"First Test was an absolute outlier"- Pat Cummins on Rawalpindi pitch ahead of the 2nd PAK vs AUS 2022 Test

Australian Test captain Pat Cummins was satisfied with his team's efforts in the first Test at Pakistan on a benign Rawalpindi wicket. Although the match ended in a tame draw, Cummins was proud of the way the visitors didn't let the game slip from their grasp.

The 28-year-old stressed on how Australia managed to keep up with the tempo of the game and did not let the hosts dictate terms to them. Speaking at a pre-match press conference ahead of the second Test, here's what Pat Cummins had to say about the first Test:

"Overall I was pretty happy with how we stuck at it. I think one of the learnings before coming here was really managing the tempo of the game and we did that brilliantly. We didn't get as many wickets as we would have liked but we never let the run rate slip."

There has been a lot of talk about the nature of the Rawalpindi pitch as it had nothing in it for the bowlers. The ICC even rated the pitch below average and handed it one demerit point. However, Pat Cummins wants to leave that Test behind and wants to focus on what lies ahead. He added:

"We never lost control of the game. Overall we left that Test match knowing that we tried as much as we could on that wicket. I think as a Test match, its an absolute outlier."

"If you get yourself in, you need to capitalize"- Pat Cummins

Australia responded well in their first innings of the first Test with as many as four batters going beyond the score of fifty. However, not a single batter could convert it into a big hundred and Pat Cummins understands the importance of a marathon innings in the subcontinent conditions. On this, he stated:

"We spoke about that (converting starts into big scores) after the game. There are some real positives from the batting to get the high-400s. Over here, if you get yourself in, you need to capitalize. We missed a chance to put a good lead ahead and have a chance to maybe bowl on Day 5 with a lead."

Leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson will be making his Test debut for Australia in the second Test at Karachi beginning on Saturday.