MELBOURNE: "Look, hard to say. In terms of form, no. Not for me to answer." The question had been rhetorical, whether India's captain Rohit Sharma would be under pressure going into the fourth Test because of his lack of runs, and Pat Cummins had done well to avoid the potential banana skin.
India and Australia have stared at some identical threads throughout this series, like the top-order woes of both teams and the talk of impending transition. The constant pressure on the two captains, and their contrasting turn of fortunes, has been another. Both teams are positioned at the confluence of eras. Going into the fourth Test, Cummins and Rohit again find themselves staring at uncertainty.
Strangely, Cummins isn't the most popular of Australian captains in spite of his phenomenal prowess with the ball, his pleasing demeanour and the attempts at addressing wider social issues as a statesman of the game. Perhaps Australia just doesn't take too kindly to bowler captains. As for Rohit Sharma, lately he can't seem to find a run either at the top or in the middle order, and the batting woes of his team have magnified his inadequacies. The public image of both captains has swung along with the results.
A few weeks ago, following the defeat in Perth, Cummins was the face of a team reviled by its own fans. One win in Adelaide later, he seems to have earned a temporary reprieve, but a win at the MCG is what really matters. India, meanwhile, have already seen the hasty retirement of one great, Ravichandran Ashwin, midway through the series. They'll want to avoid any further unsavoury drama.
Both have handled the pressure differently. On Christmas day, Cummins seemed in a happy place, with friends and family around, Travis Head declared fit, the promise of an exciting new talent in Sam Konstas and generally positive vibes in the team. Addressing the issue of impending changes on both sides, he sounded philosophical. "Every team always has something they're grappling with or trying to improve on. For us it's about focusing on what we do well."
He spoke about embracing captaincy, and what it was about the leadership role that excited him.
"My most enjoyable part is playing with teammates and working together to try and get a win or overcome a problem. Being captain, you get an opportunity to do that not just with the players but coaches and staff and other leaders within the group. I love all that, discussions around the style of play and helping shape the team around me. The other layer is seeing some new players make debut."
A day earlier, Rohit had talked about similar issues, but in a completely different way. "It's a challenge to handle not just the bowling but the entire team. You try to come out here with the intent of trying to get the best out of everyone. As captain, my message is simple. Keep doing what you've been doing."
Two captains, two contrasting attitudes. Unlike Cummins, Rohit is grappling with issues of form. On Wednesday, rumours swirled that he would reclaim his opening slot and push KL Rahul to No. 3, but then Indian cricket has always been an exercise in smoke and mirrors.
Cummins wouldn't mind either way. He has the edge in the head-to-head game, having dismissed Rohit six times in nine Tests and twice in this series. His animated celebration in Brisbane after getting a leaden-footed Rohit out got social-media outlets buzzing. Both have legacies to uphold as leaders.
