Having won the 2021-22 edition of Ashes 4-0 at home, Australia have embarked on the tour of Pakistan with their confidence being sky-high.
It is certainly a historic tour as the Aussies are visiting Pakistan for the first time since 1998. The tour will also be Pat Cummins’ first-ever overseas challenge after taking over the Test captaincy late last year.
Ahead of the first Test, due to be played in Rawalpindi on March 4, Australia skipper Cummins said his team is prepared to play a different tempo of Test cricket in Pakistan.
"The most obvious one is to win the series," Cummins told reporters on Friday (February 25).
"But I think that might not necessarily look like two wins and one loss or whatever, it might be having to grind out some tough Test matches and hold out for a draw.
"A hard-fought, five-day grinding out for a draw in the context of a three-match series might be as good as a win.
"We don't really know what we're going to expect over there, but subcontinent Test matches can be played quickly or can be played slowly."
Overall, Australia have played 20 Tests in Pakistan, winning only three, losing seven, and drawing 10 matches.
Although the visitors are not sure about the surfaces in Rawalpindi, Karachi, and Lahore for the three Tests, their pre-departure training in Melbourne focused heavily on bowling and batting against spin.
"The reality is every Test you try to get ready for the long game, I think it's as much a mental thing as physical training," Cummins said.
"Obviously us bowlers getting ready for the Test matches, we've had some really long spells in the nets so we're used to it.
"But I think it's that mindset of being okay with ticking along at two runs an over, whereas here you might be used to three or four runs an over.
"It throws up a different challenge to cricket we've grown up playing here in Australia, and watching.
"There's probably going to be times when I have to be more creative and try a few different things, be brave, so I'm excited for that challenge."
Australia Test Squad: Pat Cummins (c), 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 (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner. On standby: Sean Abbott, Brendan Doggett, Nic Maddinson, Matthew Renshaw
(Inputs from cricket.com.au)
