Dec 18 – Australia captain Pat Cummins has leapt to the defence of his top order batsmen after they again struggled for runs in the drawn third test against India in Brisbane.

Australia collapsed to 33 for five in their second innings at the Gabba on Wednesday, with the top four all dismissed for single-digit scores before Cummins declared at 79 for eight.

The new opening combination of Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney has failed to build a partnership of more than 21 runs in the series, while number three Marnus Labuschagne is averaging 16.40 from his five innings, despite a half-century in the second test in Adelaide.

Cummins said his batters fell quickly on Wednesday while chasing quick runs to allow a declaration that could set up a small chance of victory.

“We are not beholden to stats,” Cummins told reporters.

“We know there are certain roles and easier times to bat and harder times to bat, just like bowlers.

“You are looking at the best seven batters as a unit to play the best you can.”

The series is tied at 1-1 ahead of the fourth test in Melbourne starting Dec. 26.

The top order’s struggles have coincided with eye-catching scores by 19-year-old talent Sam Konstas, who scored a century against an Indian selection in the tour match in Canberra.

He also became the youngest player to score a half-century in the Big Bash League this week on debut in Australia’s domestic T20 competition, making 56 from 27 balls for Sydney Thunder.

Pundits have called on selectors to blood Konstas in the test squad after he missed out on selection in favour of McSweeney, who has been retooled as an opener after playing largely at number three.

Cummins defended McSweeney’s lean output while declining to comment on whether selectors would stick with him for the remaining matches in Melbourne and Sydney.

“I have been impressed with the way he has gone about it,” said Cummins of McSweeney, who was caught behind for four on Wednesday after making nine in the first innings.

“Today for someone starting out his career he was selfless to go out and try and play his shots rather than preserve and get a score.

“He probably hasn’t got the runs he would have liked but he has played important knocks that have set up a win in Adelaide and a good result here.”

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