'I find these wickets sometimes hard to read as well' - Pat Cummins highlights significance of assessing pitch ahead of Sri Lanka game

Pat Cummins, the Australian skipper, is facing a dilemma in the ongoing World Cup. While he's been successful at winning the toss, he's yet to figure out the perfect approach to take advantage of the conditions. In the first two matches of the tournament, Australia found itself at the losing end, which has raised questions about its tactics.

Cummins' experience at the toss has been a mixed bag. After struggling during the Ashes, where he only won one out of five tosses, he has managed to win both tosses against India and South Africa in the World Cup. However, it's worth noting that winning the toss hasn't necessarily translated into a match-winning advantage in this tournament.

Out of the twelve matches played in the World Cup, only four times has the team that won the toss gone on to win the game. Even defending World Cup champions, England, have chosen to bowl first in most matches after winning the toss. Cummins, however, isn't ready to commit to a specific approach just yet.

According to Cummins, the conditions in India can vary significantly from one location to another.

"You've still got to assess conditions, India is a big country," Cummins told reporters on Sunday as quoted by cricket.com.au.

"Chennai is a long way away from say, up north like Delhi or somewhere like that. There are big differences, it's not a perfect science. Most games are 50-50 whether you bat first or bowl first. Whatever you do, you've got to do it well."

One factor that might be affecting Australia's performance is their lack of recent experience playing in India during October and November. Their last such series was in 2013, and the Indian Premier League, in which many players participate, takes place in April and May. Cummins also pointed out the challenge of transitioning from T20 cricket to the 50-over format, as the conditions and pitches can vary greatly.

"It's a tricky one, Even ODI cricket compared to T20s. (They're) played (with) half the game in daylight and half at night so it's a bit different to T20 cricket."

In the end, Cummins emphasized the need for adaptability, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of the game.

"I find these wickets sometimes hard to read as well. Sometimes they look terrible and play beautifully and (also) the opposite, sometimes it looks flat and they end up spinning, so it is tough. You've just got to adapt on the fly," he added.

As the World Cup progresses, Cummins and his team will continue to assess the conditions and make decisions accordingly, hoping to turn their fortunes around in the tournament.