The Australian Test skipper Pat Cummins said on Friday said that his team is comfortable with the security and logistics team and it’s a very special tour for him and his side.
Pat Cummins, who is leading the Australian Test side said that they are comfortable with the security arrangements and logistics team, he is excited about what is coming ahead, as Australia is set to land in Pakistan for a cricket tour since 1998.
They are due to leave for Pakistan before the start of the first Test, starting in Rawalpindi on March 4, which gives them less than a week to practice on the conditions without any warm-up matches.
It will be followed by the Test matches in Karachi and Lahore before three ODIs and a single T20I to be played in Rawalpindi.
“We’ve got to a place where everyone hopping on the plane is comfortable with where it’s all sitting. It’s been a really thorough body of work that the security and the logistics teams have worked through,”
Cummins said.
“And obviously the added layer of bio-security in these times as well. So we’re feeling really good and once we get over there, we’re going to be able to just concentrate on the cricket.
“More than anything it’s a really special tour,”
he added.
“We’re going to fly over there and experience something for the first time. We’re really excited; everyone is in a good place.”
Cricket-loving Pakistan hasn’t had a foreign tour in their country since 2009 when the Sri Lankan team got attacked by terrorists in Lahore.
They were forced to play all their International games in UAE until things started becoming normal in 2015 when countries finally started visiting the country.
But the concerns were raised once again when New Zealand, who finally visited the country after 18 years and shortly before the start of the match, the government of NZ raised security concerns for the players.
Australia will be heading for the Pakistan tour after a thrilling 4-0 victory over England in the Ashes at their own backyard in summer, with the series opener expected to be the same.
Usman Khawaja who is a Pakistan-born cricketer, is set to join David Warner at the top order ahead of Marcus Harris, who was not part of the Ashes.
Cummins also confirmed that Steve Smith has recovered from a concussion during their recent T20 series against Sri Lanka and will regain his place.
However, interim coach Andrew McDonald — in charge after Justin Langer quit after the Ashes – says that he had a little idea regarding the spin-friendly pitches of the country so they are playing with two extra spinners in Mitchell Swepson and Ashton Agar also in the squad.
“So we’re covering all bases there, from turning wickets to potentially wickets with grass on (them),”
he said.
Andrew McDonald is Australia’s interim coach after Justin Langer quit William WEST AFP.
“But we feel the squad’s balanced and there are enough options for whatever the case may be when we land on the ground.”
The squad has spent the past few training sessions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground preparing, with a spinnet set up and the pacemen practicing reverse swing, both of which are key components in the sub-continent.
“We don’t really know what to expect over there, sub-continent Test matches can be played slowly or quickly,”
said Cummins.
“For a lot of this group, we haven’t played a lot of cricket overseas but if we want to be number one in the world we have got to have a really good showing on these sub-continent tours.”
Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (capt), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner.
Australia ODI and T20 squad: Aaron Finch (capt), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.