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Ahead of the first Test against the Kiwis in Wellington, Australian skipper Pat Cummins lauded New Zealand's retiring pacer Neil Wagner, calling him a "wonderful competitor" and pointing out that he admired the way he created problems for batters in a "non-traditional way".
The first Test of the two-match Test series between Australia and New Zealand will take place in Wellington. Ahead of the game on Thursday, Kiwi fast bowler Wagner announced his retirement from international cricket. The left-arm bowler finished his Test career fifth overall on the list of New Zealand Test wicket-takers, with 260 scalps coming at an average of around 27 in 64 matches. Cummins, while talking to reporters ahead of the game, acknowledged Wagner's abilities. "He has been a wonderful competitor whenever we have played him over the years. Seeing the way he has created problems for batters in a non-traditional way, I have really admired from afar," Cummins said, according to cricket.com.au. Cummins also admitted that he enjoyed playing as a regular player under the leadership of skipper Mitchell Marsh and vice-captain Matthew Wade during the recently concluded T20I series between two sides, which ended 3-0 in Australia's favour. "I really enjoyed it, with Marshy and Wadey taking up the reins I felt like I could just be a player," said Cummins. He said that just worrying about his own skills in a format that he has not played for a while was very relaxing as compared to his job as a skipper, where he had to take the team together and also make appearances in front of the media. "On the field, just worrying about your own skills solely - especially in a format I haven't played for a while - was good. And then away from the ground as well, things like media or some of the team meetings you have around planning, they do add up," said Cummins. "Not that they are necessarily taxing by themselves but they do add up, so just having that space outside the game was nice for a couple of weeks. But in the same breath, it is good to be back here in a different role," he added. The skipper said that assistant coach and former all-rounder Daniel Vettori, who represented Kiwis in 113 Tests and overall in 442 international games across all formats, has great insights about playing against Kiwis and the wind factor will be there. "He is always got good insights, he has played a lot here - windy days, not windy days, different wickets," said Cummins. "Nothing probably ground-breaking but I think that wind factor can be real here, and just some of the ideas on how to get through that," he concluded. Schedule for two-Test series against Australia: February 29 - March 4: First Test, Wellington March 8-12: Second Test, Christchurch Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc New Zealand Test squad: Tim Southee (c), Tom Blundell (wk), Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Scott Kuggeleijn, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O'Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Neil Wagner, Kane Williamson, Will Young. (ANI)
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