Australian captain Pat Cummins on Thursday said the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against arch-foes India is going to be more “attritional” as the two heavyweights of world cricket will be sparring over five Test matches instead of the traditional four games. While both the teams will be looking to get the better of each other, there will also be an eye on the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction, which takes place in Suadi Arabia on two of the 5 days of the opening Test at Perth. However, Cummins doesn’t feel the auction will be distraction for his players.

“Yeah, I think he is there in the auction. I don’t think so (it will be a distraction). Dan has flown over there, but he has been here for the whole prep. Done all the meetings, done all the chats, watching it. We came to know that anyway,” Cummins told the press in Perth on the eve of the first Test.

“So, for the players, I don’t think so. Most of these guys have been there in the auctions before. They know they can’t really do anything. You are a sitting duck and seeing whether you get selected or not. It doesn’t… doesn’t make a difference to how we go about the first two days. It is not a distraction as far as I can see it,” he added.

The blockbuster series will be a survival of the fittest as Australia look to avenge successive losses on home soil when they go head-to-head from Friday.

“Border-Gavaskar Trophy has always been very tight every series, five Test-match series gets really attritional, it’s a big one really,” Cummins said at the pre-match press conference.

The Australia captain admitted there will be pressure on the home team, especially because of the fact that they lost the last four Test series against India, including the two humiliating reverses on their own soil.

“There will always be pressure when you are playing at home. India are a very talented side and it will be a good challenge. But we are not looking too far ahead,” Cummins said.

“It would be great to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India are a great side but we are well prepared.” The leading pacer also said newcomer Nathan McSweeney should not try to imitate David Warner, the legendary opener who retired from international cricket earlier this year.

“He should play his natural game. He shouldn’t try to imitate David Warner. That’s not his game. As long as he makes the bowlers bowl again and again, that’s his game,” Cummins said of the man who is going to be handed his Test debut at Optus Stadium.

Asked about India’s talented all-rounder Nitish Reddy, Cummins said they shared the dressing room for IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad and praised the 21-year-old.

“He is and impressive youngster. Didn’t bowl much for SRH. He can swing the ball and is a really talented kid.”

With PTI Inputs