Australia may have beaten England 4-0 in the Ashes series but captain Pat Cummins believes they need to test themselves in all conditions and against all countries.
The rampant Australian side took 10 wickets for 56 runs to destroy England in the fifth Ashes Test in Hobart Sunday to wrap up the series 4-0.
It was a spectacular comeback for the Australians, who were beaten at home by India this time last year.
Cummins said the Test team, which did not tour in 2021 due to Covid, was building well and needed to test itself in all conditions.
“These were quite foreign conditions to what we normally expect in Australia,” Cummins said of the Hobart Test, where Australia slumped to 3-12 on the first morning.
“It was a green seaming wicket but I think the way Marnus (Labuschagne), Travis Head and Cam Green took on the game was a really good template for any conditions that are foreign to what we might expect.
“We can be the type of team that is brave enough to take that positivity overseas if we need to.
“I think that puts us in a great place.”
Australia travel to Pakistan in March and April for three Test matches along with three ODIs and a T20 clash.
Cummins said he was excited about the Pakistan tour.
“We’ve played really well here in Australia — it’s up to us to take that overseas,” he said.
“I think to be the best side in the world you need to win at home, but more importantly you have to be successful overseas.
“That’s a challenge for this side because we haven’t played a lot overseas the last couple of years.
“Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India this year — it’s all really foreign conditions to Australia, so that’s going to be our challenge.”
Tom Harrison would probably have described it as a brilliant opportunity to reset and recalibrate but as England’s weary cricketers left the field at the end of a wicket-filled second day in Hobart, those not blessed with the optimism of a chief executive could view their latest predicament only as desperate.
This sense of creeping dread had begun first thing when Nathan Lyon gave a nod to the news cycle in the UK by enjoying a raucous party at No 10. He cracked three sixes – including one that flew into the front yard of a neighbouring house – as the Australian tail wagged, completing an impressive turnaround from 12 for three 24 hours earlier to post 303 all out.After moody salmon skies had made way for pitch darkness overhead, a breakneck day ended with Australia closing on 37 for three and a lead of 152 runs.
Stuart Broad completed a pair for David Warner, Woakes strangled Marnus Labuschagne down leg for five and Mark Wood bounced out Usman Khawaja with a snorter. But Steve Smith was 17 not out, Scott Boland had admirably survived as nightwatchman and Australian sights remained trained on a 4-0 series win.
Talk of Tasmania looking to get full value for their reported A$5m staging fee with a so-called chief executive’s pitch was proved to be bunkum by this 17-wicket bonanza.
There are eight millimetres of rye grass on the Bellerive Oval surface, which, combined with the vagaries of pink-ball cricket, has offered plenty for the seamers. Lyon is the only frontline spinner on show but was yet to be called upon, save for his buccaneering 31 with the bat and a diving catch at backward point off Ben Stokes as England lost three for seven in 21 balls during the likely decisive second session.
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