Pakistan vs Australia: Glenn McGrath believes Pat Cummins needs right foundation in longest format

Melbourne: Australian fast bowling legend Glenn McGrath believes the selectors have made a correct decision in not opting to rush Pat Cummins back for the first Pakistan Test at Gabba, saying he is looking “pretty good” in ODIs but still needs a bit of foundation to play the longest version of the game. Cummins, who clinched his career-best figures of 4/41 against New Zealand in the second one-day international in Canberra this week, was in the minds of many a probable candidate for the first Test against the Misbah-ul-Haq-led side. However, the Australian selectors named the same squad that won them the Adelaide Test against South Africa for the Gabba Test, starting December 15.

“I’ll put him in the Gabba side right now,” former Test quick Brendon Julian said. “The Test match starts on the 15th, it’s a day-nighter against Pakistan. He’s not going to be bowling a lot of overs, it’s not going to be hot. I reckon they’ll be getting him in there. “Could you imagine him bowling against Pakistan in a day-nighter?” he added. However, McGrath feels Cummins needs more time to build his body for the rigours of Test match cricket.

Add Cricket Country as a Preferred Source

Full Cricket Scorecard: Pakistan vs Australia 1st Test at Brisbane

“I think in the shorter version of the game, which is pretty much what he’s played, he can hold his action together and he’s looking pretty good,” news.com.au. “To me, the true test will be how he goes in the longer version and how he goes coming back bowling later in a second spell or third spell, when he’s a little bit tired, a little bit fatigued. You can’t just go into a game and bowl forty overs, without having a bit of foundation there,” he added.

The Gabba Test will be followed by games at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (December 26-30) and the Sydney Cricket Ground (January 3-7, 2017).

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner, Jackson Bird, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nic Maddinson, Nathan Lyon, Matthew Renshaw, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade (wk).