There has been talk about how the pitches have made it really tough for the batsmen and how lucrative 500-plus scores have become a rarity in the last few years. Both Test matches ended inside seven sessions with only two players scoring a half-century. Openers were tested by debutants Aamer Jamal and Shamar Joseph. Cummins said he quite approves of the tough conditions which have evened out the game and made it fun for everyone. Head has been an exception with his strike rate and success on lively pitches at home. Warner, Smith, Labuschagne and Marsh all had a home average over 66 between 2017 and 2021. The value of runs have increased and the recent average scores reflect the challenge of batting well. The staff constantly checks ball-tracking data to understand how difficult the wickets are and what’s going on with the ball.
