Australia Captain Pat Cummins Reacts To Criticism Of Rawalpindi Pitch After Dull Draw Against Pakistan

Australia captain Pat Cummins gave a diplomatic answer when asked about a pitch that yielded 1,187 runs for just 14 wickets over five days in the first Test against Pakistan.

Australian skipper Pat Cummins said he would leave it to fans and commentators to pass judgement on a dead wicket that saw his team's first Test in Pakistan in nearly a quarter of a century end in a tame draw in Rawalpindi on Tuesday. "I think the players always want a fair battle between bat and ball, and that's when I think Test cricket is at its best and most rewarding," the diplomatic Cummins said when asked about a pitch that yielded 1,187 runs for just 14 wickets over five days.

"It's for fans and you guys (media) to kind of watch it from the outside and kind of judge the spectacle."

Pakistan were 252 without loss in their second innings when the match ended without a result. Australia scored 459 in reply to Pakistan's first innings score of 476-4 declared.

"Turning up to a pitch -- probably not a traditional pitch -- you get here in Rawalpindi and coming away with a draw, it's not a bad result," Cummins said afterwards.

It was Australia's first Test on Pakistan soil since 1998, having declined to visit previously on security grounds.