"Don't know, we'll chat about it" - Pat Cummins on T20 captaincy ahead of 2024 World Cup
Australian ODI World Cup-winning captain Pat Cummins is still unsure of leading the T20I side in the build-up to the 2024 World Cup. The mega T20 event is scheduled to be played in West Indies and the U.S.A.
Cummins recently led Australia to an incredible sixth ODI World Cup title, defeating India in the grand finale by six wickets. Cummins also captained the side to winning the World Test Championship (WTC) final and retaining the Ashes in England earlier this year.
However, the champion pacer has not played T20Is for Australia since their disappointing exit at home in the World Cup last year. Regular T20I skipper Aaron Finch announced his retirement earlier in the year, leading to Mitchell Marsh being appointed the skipper for the shortest format.
Speaking to the media with the ODI World Cup Trophy at the SCG, Cummins shared his thoughts on captaining the Australian T20I side and on his future as the ODI skipper.
"Honestly don't know, we'll chat about it, Mitchy's done the last T20 series' and done a fantastic job. ( On his future as ODI captain) Yeah I think so, honestly I haven't thought too much about it but we'll work through it," Cummins said.
Pat Cummins was a vital cog in Australia's T20 World Cup win in 2021, with Finch leading the side.
Matthew Wade is currently leading Australia in the ongoing T20I series against India. Cummins, with several others, have been rested for the series that started just four days after the ODI World Cup final.
When he asked if he begrudged several others who remained in India to play the T20Is, Pat Cummins responded:
"No I don't (begrudge them), it's been a busy few months. They're still games for Australia and I think these tours do provide opportunities for the younger guys that might not be in the first XI. I think they're still important tours where you're going to get a lot out of but they're humans, they're not robots. Putting everything into a World Cup and then playing a few days later, I probably don't begrudge them."
Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Sean Abbott, Josh Inglis, Adam Zampa, and Glenn Maxwell are playing the ongoing T20I series against India despite being part of the Australian ODI World Cup winning squad.
India leads the five-match series 2-0, with the third game at Guwahati on November 28.
"Shows the strength of Australian cricket at the moment" - Pat Cummins
Pat Cummins felt being holders of the WTC and ODI World Cup Trophy demonstrates the strength of depth in Australian cricket.
The Aussies won the 2021 T20 World Cup, followed by the WTC and ODI World Cup title this year. They also lost a hard-fought away Test series against India 1-2 and retained the Ashes with a 2-2 result in England.
"We just missed out last year (on winning all three formats), six months off, to hold one trophy takes a lot but to hold trophies across different formats really shows (the strength of the) coaching group but also a squad of players, you can't just do that with 11 blokes, you need 25 really good players, I think it shows the strength of Australian cricket at the moment," said Cummins.
The current Australian side is among a shortlist of teams to taste success in ODIs on Indian soil, winning four of the seven meetings between the sides.
Pat Cummins will return to lead the side as they will begin their home summer with a three-Test series against Pakistan at Perth on December 14.