Coming Australian cricket season could reaffirm Pat Cummins’ status as a modern superstar of cricket
From the very beginning, it was reckoned that Pat Cummins would be the glamour boy of Australian cricket. While Dennis Lillee was aggressive and moustachioed, fast and furious; Cummins is tall, athletic, affable, ever-smiling, and bowls quick. Both charismatic, but so different from each other!
Cummins broke into the Test team at just 18 years of age. He was soon dogged with injuries, his frame not yet ready for the rigours of international cricket.
After a long rehabilitation, he returned, ready to take on the world. With his brisk, relaxed, almost casual run-up; a hint of a leap, fine co-ordination of shoulders, arms and back, and classic follow-through, Cummins is a wonderful sight at the bowling crease.
He was elevated to the Test captaincy as Tim Paine made way in conditions unrelated to events on the field. Cummins has been dignified since, at the same time, carrying on his task as a leading fast bowler with aplomb.
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Now poised at 199 Test wickets, Cummins is set to scale new highs in a busy home season. His average of 21.66 is third best among Australian bowlers who have taken 150 Test wickets or more.
He is behind by a whisker to the great Glenn McGrath’s 21.64, and behind the legendary left-armer Alan Davidson’s 20.53 among Australian bowlers who have taken 150 Test wickets or more. They are followed by the likes of Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall, Bill Johnston, and Dennis Lillee, who averaged between 22 and 24.
In all Test cricket, there have been just six others: Sydney Barnes, Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner, Curtly Ambrose, Jim Laker, and Freddie Trueman who have averaged below 22 while capturing at least 150 Test wickets.
Pat Cummins has reveled in the captaincy role
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Captaincy sits lightly on Pat Cummins’ shoulders. Australia won the Ashes 4-0 in 2021-22. Though he missed the second Test, Cummins was the highest wicket-taker in the series, with 21 scalps at an average of 18.04 in those four Tests.
After two drawn high-scoring Tests in Pakistan in 2022, Cummins led Australia to a big 115-run win in the third and final Test at Lahore. He was the Man-of-the-Match in that Test for his match haul of 8/79.
Even on those flat wickets, Cummins was the joint-highest wicket-taker with 12 victims (average 22.50), along with off-spinner Nathan Lyon (average 44.91).
Later, it was a drawn two-Test series in Sri Lanka, with both sides winning a Test each. It was a series for the spinners in which Cummins had to toil long and hard. Yet, he never looked beaten.
Cummins has been a star performer in the limited-overs formats too. In one-day internationals, he has captured 119 wickets in 73 matches at an average of 28.04 and an economy-rate of 5.21. In 39 Twenty20 Internationals, he has picked up 44 wickets at 22.77 apiece and 7.05 runs per over.
Already ranked the no. 1 Test bowler in the world, Cummins was awarded the Allan Border Medal in 2018-19 as Australia’s Player of the Year. With the bat, he can hit the ball a long way, as his two half-centuries and top score of 63 testify.
At 29 years, Pat Cummins has miles to go. If he maintains his fitness, there is no doubt that he will finish amongst the greats of the game, not only as a fast bowler but also as a leader. Indeed, as we stand at the threshold of the 2022-23 season, there is keen anticipation of a star turn by Pat Cummins.