Ashes 2021-22: Adam Gilchrist backs Pat Cummins in Test captaincy debate

Former teammates Adam Gilchrist and Glenn McGrath have very different ideas about who should be Australia’s next Test captain.

Former Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist is seen during the Foxtel Summer of Cricket Launch at the SCG in Sydney, Thursday, October 24, 2019. (AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi) NO ARCHIVING

Former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist believes Pat Cummins would be the perfect successor to Tim Paine as Australia’s next Test captain.

With Paine’s neck surgery leaving him at risk of potentially missing part of the upcoming Ashes series on home soil, it could open the door for someone to stake their claim as the national team’s next captain.

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Gilchrist, who was a regular vice-captain for the Australian Test and ODI teams throughout his glittering career, felt Cummins was in a league of his own in comparison to his Test peers.

“Pat Cummins is literally the type of leader that Australian cricket admires, and the players acknowledge and respect,” Gilchrist told SEN.

Adam Gilchrist has backed Pat Cummins (pictured) to step up from his vice-captaincy position. Picture: Matt Roberts/Getty Images

“I think he is the leader by way of being at the top of the pack to assume that position.

“Be it the first Test at the Gabba, the first Test of the next summer or whenever the next Test cricket is after this summer, whenever Tim Paine does finish up.

“It is inevitably getting closer, the changing of the guard at the top, and I think Pat is the gentleman that’s positioned highest in readiness to take over.”

Cummins became a vice-captain of Australia’s Test and ODI team in 2019 and 2020 respectively, so already has experience in that domain.

However, fast bowlers are historically not associated with the Australian captaincy. In fact, the last pace bowler who doubled as captain was Ray Lindwall in 1956.

Recent captains have been a mix of wicketkeepers and batsmen, but according to Gilchrist, history shouldn’t have an influence as to whether Cummins would be a good fit for the role.

“For a certain individual, I don’t think anyone should be pigeonholed,” Gilchrist said.

Former teammates Adam Gilchrist (l) and Glenn McGrath have different opinions on who should captain Australia next (see below for McGrath’s call).

“For me personally, I don’t think I would have made a great fist of being full-time captain.

“I personally felt it would have been challenging to focus on everything you’ve got and captain the team regularly.

“It was a nice experience occasionally to do it, and it was great to be vice-captain to chip in with your experience or any opinion.

“But Tim Paine’s done a terrific job at it, MS Dhoni was outstanding, so too Andy Flower in Zimbabwe.

“There’s a few instances when you’re an exception, and Pat Cummins should be considered that.

“He is balanced enough, professional enough and skilful enough.

“I don’t think Pat should be pigeonholed just because he’s a fast bowler.”

Cummins made his Test debut in 2011 against South Africa, and has played in over 30 Test series for Australia.

He’ll be looking to further cement his reputation as one of the best in the world with the ball in hand when the Ashes commences with the First Test on December 8.

WHY BAT MUST RULE BALL IN AUSSIE CAPTAINCY DEBATE

Fast bowling legend Glenn McGrath has urged Australia not to overburden Pat Cummins with the Test captaincy if Tim Paine is injured, believing Steve Smith is the obvious choice.

It is understood Australia is leaning towards endorsing Cummins as its next Test captain even though no specialist Australian fast man has led the team since Ray Lindwall did it on a one-off basis against India in 1956-57.

Paine underwent neck surgery this week and while he is expected to be fit for the first Test at the Gabba in November, his fitness scare has placed the onus on Australia to have a back-up plan.

Glenn McGrath (left) believes Steve Smith should be returned as captain if Tim Paine is unavailable. Picture: AAP

“Pat Cummins has been around for a long time and knows the game so well,’’ McGrath said.

“I have a theory that fast bowlers obviously can be captain – they are probably the most intelligent players in the team – but when a batsman is batting he can concentrate solely on his batting.

“A bowler has to think about who is bowling at the other end, what changes are coming up and where the game is heading.

“I just think the workload is probably a little bit … you want him (Cummins) concentrating 100 per cent on his bowling. That is why I think it should be a batsman … to give them something to do while they are in the field.

“Steve Smith should be captain again. To me he is the obvious choice on merit.’’

Smith was banned from the captaincy for two years after the ball tampering scandal in South Africa and CA fears a public backlash if he is reinstated.

Also speaking on the podcast, former English fast bowler Darren Gough said he did not expect Australia would go for Cummins but felt that batting captains were often over-rated.

“Pat Cummins seems a great bloke to me and someone who knows what he is talking about,’’ Gough said.

“I would have no problems if he was captaining Australia, especially against England.

“For some reasons batsmen have this aura about them where they are the really intelligent private schoolboys. They have got to captain the side and lead from the front. But I think they are more complicated than bowlers. They really complicate things.

“One of the things about fast bowlers is we get pigeon holed but I actually think we have got great cricket brains. We have a lot to offer within a dressing room and on the field as well.

“You look at batsmen. They are the captains, coaches and commentators. What is it about batsmen doing absolutely everything?’’

Pat Cummins is another serious contender to take over the Australian captaincy. Picture: Getty

The $200m Covid time warp threatening Ashes

Concerns over the Ashes series continue with single players in England’s ranks consulted about supporting a family friendly push through Australia’s quarantine jungle.

England’s senior players are understood to be keen on establishing solidarity in their push for what they consider to be reasonable quarantine restrictions on their five-Test Ashes tour due to start at the Gabba on December 8.

While ultimately the onus will be on each player to make their own call on whether they tour, a unified stance on quarantine demands may involve some selflessness on behalf of younger, single players.

Joe Root and his England team are worried by Australia’s tough quarantine system.

While they would be just thrilled to be on the tour, they could find themselves supporting a policy which helps the wider group, many of whom have young families.

English players are aware their bargaining power as a group is stronger than if they adopt an every man for himself policy.

England’s first concerns over their families is simply that they will be allowed in the country, but that issue seems to have been settled with preliminary plans for families to join the squad on the Gold Coast in November.

But, as spotlighted by former England captain Michael Vaughan recently, there are also concerns about the strain of subjecting young families to a two-week quarantine.

“If you have a young wife and two or three kids, are you really going to expect them to spend two weeks (quarantining) in a hotel room and not go out?’’ Vaughan last month told the Road To The Ashes podcast.

“I think a lot has to change. It’s not just a matter of letting the families in. I think the quarantining may have to change, and that is saying to your government the rules and restrictions (must change), which is a very difficult decision to make.

“Do you want to see an Ashes series where five of the top guys are not going to tour?’

It is likely England will ask for compassion in quarantine conditions, particularly for families, but Australia’s state and federal governments may argue that they have already shown compassion by letting them in the country when many thousands of Australians are unsuccessfully trying to return home.

Covid presents a major stumbling block for an Ashes tour.

The Ashes series is worth more than $200 million to Australia and will not be stopped by the handful of English player withdrawals that have been tipped for months.

Australia will urge England to simply keep picking players until they can fill a squad.

Unlike Australia players who have not played an overseas Test for two years, England players have been “bubble wrapped’’ for much of the past 18 months.

With English sport and society welcoming back crowds, some English folk see visiting locked-down Australian cities as a journey back in time to where England was a year ago.