Pat Cummins has cut up the cricketing world and left followers fuming after calling time on Australia’s first dig with fan-favourite and hometown hero Usman Khawaja stranded unbeaten on 195 on the SCG.
The elegant left-hander spent 2,680 minutes ready to notch a dream maiden double ton on his beloved residence floor after Sydney’s incessant rain spoiled day two and washed out day three.
But with time rapidly dwindling away, and Australia nonetheless needing 20 wickets to finish a whitewash of South Africa and guarantee their spot within the World Test Championship Final, Cummins declared.
Former cricketers and followers have been divided by the decision, with previous gamers understanding the drive to win trumps private milestones, however followers need to see their heroes rewarded.
“Look, 195 not out is not too bad. I think if you have a mantra of team first, you’ve got to take those individual performances out of the thinking,“ former Australian captain Allan Border said.
Australia also backed themselves into a corner by only selecting two fast bowlers, but fans wanted the ‘people’s champion’ to get his 200, describing the declaration as a “dog move”.
“Australia declaring in a dead rubber game where they need 20 wickets in a day & a half of play and Usman Khawaja on 195 not out is an absolute dog move. Usman Khawaja deserved the chance to get his first ever 200,” one Twitter person wrote.
Another took a crack on the Pink Cap presentation, questioning why it couldn’t have been achieved in the course of the rain delay or on the finish of play.
“Christ, on a f****** cracker, GET ON WITH IT!! Not letting Usman Khawaja get his 200 and now the cap presentation, which in reality could’ve waited until the end of day’s play,” they mentioned.
Other customers mentioned they felt Khawaja had each proper to be “pissed off”.
Khawaja joked in a single day that it will be “harsh” if Australia left him stranded after producing the second of the Test, giving the gang a jig after reaching triple figures.
“I think it’d be pretty harsh if he (Cummins) bowled straight away. I don’t think that’s going to happen. He’s been making a few jokes… ‘I’ve let (South African skipper) Dean Elgar know that we want to go out and have a bowl straight away’,” he mentioned.
