Pat Cummins’ Test leadership tandem with coach Andrew McDonald may have entered its final 24 months, as New Zealand’s hard transition move on post Neil Wagner’s resignation raised whether Australia will soon need to do the same. The calm, settled nature of Pat Cummins’ world-leading side, likened to a “steamroller” by one senior New Zealand cricket figure, contrasted sharply with the retirement and injury troubles engulfing the hosts ahead of the first Test at Basin Reserve.
Pat Cummins as captain of Australia
Australia will take on New Zealand for two-Test match series starting on February 29. Pat Cummins would return to lead the side after he played under Mitchell Marsh’s captaincy in the T20I series against the Kiwis. Notably, the T20 World Cup 2024 is three months away and it looks like that Pat Cummins, who led Australia to WTC title in 2023 and ICC World Cup 2023 trophy, would not lead the Kangaroos in the T20 World Cup.
Pat Cummins made his Test debut in 2011 but played his second Test in 2017 due to repeated injuries. However, he became the No.1-ranked Test bowler two years after returning and held the position for a long time.
Pat Cummins, who took over Tim Paine in Tests and succeeded Aaron Finch as ODI captain, spoke to reporters on Wednesday, February 28, where the 30-year-old said his future as a captain very much depends on how far his body and form can hold up.
I had doubt that I will be captaining till mid-30s: Pat Cummins
Australian captain Pat Cummins remains unsure of leading the country for the rest of his playing career.
The right-arm speedster succeeded Tim Paine as Australia’s Test captain and took over from Aaron Finch in ODIs. Contrary to expectations, Cummins has done an exceptional job, fashioning a Test series win in Pakistan, followed by retaining the Ashes in England. In ODIs, he captained Australia to World Cup glory last year.
He was quoted as saying by The Sydney Morning Herald:
“In a perfect world, if my form and body could keep up I’d like to be playing into my mid-30s, I’d doubt that I’ll be captaining that long. It’s good to have some freshness every x amount of time. If I’ve got seven or eight years, in a perfect world, of Test cricket I’d be very surprised if I’m captain for the whole time,”
Pat Cummins made his Test debut in 2011 but played his second Test in 2017 due to repeated injuries. However, he became the No.1-ranked Test bowler two years after returning and held the position for a long time.
Pat Cummins is in full praise for teammates Matthew Wade and Mitchell Marsh.
With Mitchell Marsh and Matthew Wade leading Australia in the T20I series against New Zealand, Pat Cummins claimed to be feeling a lot more relaxed.
“I really enjoyed it actually, with Marshy and Wadey taking up the reins I felt like I could just be a player. On the field, just worrying about your own skills solely, especially in a format that I haven’t played a lot for a while was good. Wadey and Marshy are both really good mates, so I’m there if they need me or want to lean or bounce an idea off me or whatever, but it was more of a mental refresh than anything else,” he explained.
The selection of an unchanged Australian side from the one surprisingly defeated by the West Indies at the Gabba was reflection of rare stability. Australia’s Test series against New Zealand starts at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Thursday, February 29 and Australia would love to up their position in the World Test Championship table post this series.