Australia Test leadership: Pros and cons of Pat Cummins, Steve Smith at the helm
A paceman leading Australia into a Test has not happened for decades. Steve Smith gives an insight into how he can help Pat Cummins thrive as skipper.
Cricket
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Pat Cummins has pricked the balloon of negativity surrounding his new vice-captain returning from Sandpapergate, by declaring: “I wanted Steve Smith.”
The comeback of Smith to an official leadership position in Australian cricket is an extraordinary redemption story after he was banned for two years over his role in the ball tampering scandal.
Smith concedes his appointment as Test vice-captain won’t please everyone, but is adamant he returns to the leadership fold a more well-rounded man than the vanquished captain forced to quit in tears three and a half years ago.
New Test captain Cummins has gone a long way towards ploughing a clear path for his deputy to start with a clean slate against England at the Gabba next week by advocating strongly to the Cricket Australia board for Smith’s reappointment as his right-hand man.
“ … I wanted Steve to be vice-captain,” said Cummins.
“From the outset I was absolutely determined if I was captain to have someone like Steve as vice-captain next to me.”
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Smith was likely to be appointed vice-captain by CA before Cummins’ endorsement, but what the skipper’s powerful vote of confidence has done is help sell the new leadership package to the Australian public.
In his exclusive column for News Corp, Shane Warne had already criticised Smith’s appointment, arguing the scars of Cape Town are so deep that his return to a leadership role opened Cricket Australia up to “ridicule” and the code of conduct should be “thrown out the window.”
Smith understands there is opposition to him as a leader and declared the faith shown in him to return as a vice-captain was an “honour.”
“Now the opportunity obviously to be standing here next to Patrick as a formal leader or a titled leader, I’m truly honoured,” said Smith, who actually led Cummins on a News Corp poll debating who should be the next captain.
“I think there will be some negativity from some people about it. I understand that and I get that.
“But for me, I know that I’ve grown a great deal over the last three or four years.
“I’m a more rounded individual and in turn I think it’s turned me into a better leader.
“I’m excited to be in this position next to Patrick. He’s done a terrific job over the last few years as vice-captain and grown into a terrific leader and I look forward to doing everything I can in my power to help Patrick and help this team grow into a successful one both on and off the field.”
Australia has learnt from history that the best vice-captains are those who don’t necessarily aspire to the top job.
Smith can take plenty from how Cummins served Tim Paine over recent years, with the fast bowler considered the ultimate vice.
At the cornerstone of the Cummins and Smith union is the fact they are close and Smith declared on Friday his job is to serve.
“It’s my job to help Patrick in any way that I can and if there’s times on the field when I can help and help the workload with Pat, then that’s my job,” he said.
“I’m excited to be working with Patrick. We’ve known each other for a long time. We are close friends.
“We get on really well and I think we complement each other really well. I think this could be a really great partnership together going forward and it’s my job to help Pat and to help grow this team into one hopefully that can be successful and one Australia will be proud of.”
PROS AND CONS OF SMITH, CUMMINS PARTNERSHIP
Even before the appointment is official, Pat Cummins is already thinking like a captain.
Australia’s new Test skipper is set to be ratified and announced in the next 24-48 hours, with Cummins all but certain to step into the hot seat and have Steve Smith named as his deputy.
Cummins is working behind the scenes to make his mark at the Gabba should he receive the nod from selectors and the CA board, and is making all the right intentions at training.
After the drama and distraction of Tim Paine’s shock resignation, it is a good sign that the man most likely to take over already has his game face on and is focused on the job at hand.
Nathan Lyon is seeing early advantages in reporting to a bowling captain, with one of Cummins’ first theories this Ashes summer being to think about attacking an unsuspecting England with an early injection of the ‘GOAT’.
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“We’ve been playing so much cricket for a long period of time, we understand each other’s game extremely well,” said bowling teammate, Nathan Lyon.
“No doubt there’ll be some conversations about spin bowling, but talking at training here he’s pretty keen to get me the ball as soon as I can. So I’m looking forward to that playing under Pat if he does get the job.”
Crucially, Lyon believes Cummins and Smith are well suited as a leadership duo — and believes it could improve communication lines throughout the entire team to have a bowler and a batsman representing at the decision-making table.
Lyon said either Cummins or Smith would excel in the captaincy, but together he believes they can be particularly effective.
“The two guys who have been interviewed by Cricket Australia for the two roles, they’re the two best candidates in my eyes,” Lyon said.
“Playing under Pat at NSW in the one-day set up, he did a really good job.
“I know (Test cricket) is going to be a different kettle of fish, but he’s got a lot of senior players around him to support him if he does get the job.
“Then you look at Steve Smith, he’s got a great cricket mind and I’ve got no dramas with both of them to be honest with you.
“You have a bowlers’ mindset and a batters’ mindset, rather than two batters (which is the usual model).
“They can come together and really come up with some good guidance. I’m excited by the fact we are potentially going to have a bowler as captain. I think there’s going to be some good open and honest communication between those two guys and Australia will be in good hands.”
Former Australian captain Michael Clarke — who by his own admission was not a great vice-captain to Ricky Ponting — had a word of warning for Australia’s new leadership pair.
The uniqueness of potentially backing in a fast bowling captain for the first time since Ray Lindwall in 1957 has reinforced the belief of many that Smith must be his deputy because there will be times Cummins will need a mental break on the field or even be rested from matches.
But Clarke said Australia has to ensure there is only one chief out on the field at any given time and said it was up to Smith to find the right balance as a behind-the-scenes support to Cummins.
“He’s got to be careful Smithy, because he copped some criticism for doing that when Tim Paine took over the captaincy as well,” Clarke told The Big Sports Breakfast.
“That he was standing in slip waving his hands, moving the field. If he is vice-captain or even if he is not, he has got to be very careful. There can only be one captain on the field.
“That is what leadership is about as well, owning that. If it is Pat Cummins, he can take advice and guidance but then it’s up to him to be making the decisions.”
How Test leadership plan could play out
Australia will draw a line in the sand on the scars of Sandpapergate once and for all, as it addresses the fine print of its new leadership plan.
As revealed by News Corp, Pat Cummins and Steve Smith were interviewed by a Cricket Australia panel on Wednesday and are firming towards being announced as a new leadership duo.
Cummins is all but certain to be named Test captain, but his status as a fast bowler – where he could occasionally be rested from the side – means the scope of Smith’s likely role as a vice-captain must be clearly defined.
A specially convened CA panel of selectors George Bailey, Tony Dodemaide, board members Mel Jones and Richard Freudenstein and chief executive Nick Hockley must ask itself, if Cummins is out of the side, does Smith takeover as caretaker captain or does he remain as a permanent vice-captain?
Cricket Australia’s board earlier this year told selectors that they had official permission to nominate Smith to a leadership position once more, following a determination that he should not be subjected to “double jeopardy” over the Sandpapergate events of 2018.
Smith returning to the Australian captaincy – even on a temporary caretaker basis – would polarise opinion, but News Corp polls have indicated public support has shifted in his favour.
It’s understood the feeling expressed by the CA board earlier this year was that Smith has already served a heavy two-year ban from leadership positions, and if nominated by selectors to return to the captaincy or vice-captaincy he should be offered a clean slate.
On this basis, it would appear the board has come to peace with the concept of Smith captaining Australia again, something that could potentially happen during the Ashes summer should Cummins not be able to power through all five Test matches against England.
With only two candidates — Cummins and Smith — nominated for interview, it’s not clear who could stand up to the captaincy in the event of a Cummins’ absence, if not Smith – with Marnus Labuschagne considered too green and the likes of Usman Khawaja and Travis Head fighting for selection as it is as players.
But the framework of a Smith vice-captaincy appointment will have to be thoroughly talked through by the panel, given the Longstaff cultural report handed down by Cricket Australia in 2018 recommended that the role of VC be “decoupled” from that of “heir apparent” for the captaincy.
At 32-years of age though, Smith is not so much heir apparent as the experienced hand cricket sources feel can help Cummins’ navigate the rigours of captaincy as a spearhead fast bowler.
If Cummins needs a rest in the field following a bowling spell, Smith can step up to the plate and marshall the troops.
It’s felt Cummins and Smith share a strong relationship based on mutual respect from their years playing together and it’s hoped that would help fortify what would be a unique leadership union.
Cummins admitted at a press conference last week — well before Tim Paine’s resignation — that Australia would likely have to change up its bowling attack this summer, although denied a rotation policy would exist.
“I’d be surprised if the same four bowlers are used for all five Tests. That’s pretty rare in a five-match summer,” said Cummins.
“I won’t be putting my hand up to be rested unless there is something going on.
“When someone is rested, there is normally more to it than purely workload. There’s always niggle and small little injuries we are dealing with basically after every Test match.
“I don’t think it will be a huge issue if someone is not able to get up for a Test or is red-lining a little bit.
“It’s spoken about a lot more than it happens. It’s only if someone is running on fumes. You won’t see a pre-emptive resting for the sake of it.”
National Selector George Bailey said Australia would have a “squad mentality” this Ashes but is confident of the physical preparation behind Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc heading into the series.
It’s understood Cummins and Smith were the only candidates interviewed by the specially convened panel which will then make a final recommendation to the CA board on who should be captain and vice-captain, ahead of a possible announcement on Friday.
It’s understood interviews with Cummins and Smith took place via video link on Wednesday, with the players quarantining on the Gold Coast ahead of the Ashes Test series.
Originally published as Australia Test leadership: Pros and cons of Pat Cummins, Steve Smith at the helm
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