No Dhoni, Kohli or Rohit: Pat Cummins names 'toughest' India player he faced
Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins identified retired Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara as the toughest opponent he has faced in his career. Cummins praised Pujara's defensive technique and ability to withstand long periods of pressure during high-stakes Test series.
Why it matters
It highlights the professional respect between elite athletes and underscores the significance of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in modern cricket.
Pat Cummins has faced some of India's biggest cricketing names during his international career, but when asked to identify the toughest Indian opponent he has come up against, the Australia captain did not pick MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma.Instead, Cummins went back to the player who repeatedly tested Australia's patience during two memorable Border-Gavaskar Trophy series and chose Cheteshwar Pujara as his toughest Indian opponent.The Australia Test and ODI captain made the admission in a recent promotional video for Prime Video Sport, where he was asked to name the toughest player he had faced from India, Pakistan, New Zealand, England, Sri Lanka, South Africa and the West Indies.For India, there was little hesitation in his choice.“India, I'm going to say, Pujara. Really hard to get out. Just like death by a thousand papercuts. Happy to face 100 dot balls if he wanted to.
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