Pat Cummins’ classy post-Ashes act goes viral for all the right reasons

Pat Cummins cemented his status as the golden boy of Australian cricket with a classy post-match gesture after thrashing England.

Is it possible to love Pat Cummins any more?

The Australian cricket captain led the national team to a 4-0 win against England in his first series in charge and cemented his status as the golden boy of the sport Down Under.

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His incredible skill with the ball has been on display all summer, but Cummins has won more fans for the spirit in which Australia has played under his leadership. And the New South Welshman’s class was on show again as he and his teammates took to the podium after demolishing England inside three days in Hobart.

The Aussies annihilated the Poms in the fifth and final Test. Chasing 270 for victory in the fourth innings, the tourists advanced to 0-68 in 16 overs before collapsing in a heap, rolled for just 124 in 38.5 overs.

As Cummins and Co. celebrated on the dais, bottles of champagne in hand, Usman Khawaja ducked off to the side because drinking alcohol is against his religion.

But his skipper stopped the others from popping the corks, gesturing to keep the bubbly on ice, and called Khawaja back over so he could participate fully in the celebrations.

Footage of the moment Cummins waved Khawaja back was shared widely on social media and viewed tens of thousands of times.

Golf writer Ben Everill tweeted: “Huge shout out for Cummins gesture 2 stop the champagne to get Khawaja back in celebrations! That’s an Aussie skipper right there. I’m sure the boys have had plenty since but he ensured inclusiveness.”

Journalist Corey Norris wrote: “That’s leadership right there … bravo Pat Cummins.”

Pat Cummins is all class. (Photo by William WEST / AFP)

While thrilled with a 4-0 series win, Cummins believes Australia still needs to test itself in all conditions and against all countries.

“These were quite foreign conditions to what we normally expect in Australia,” Cummins said of the Hobart Test, where Australia slumped to 3-12 on the first morning.

“It was a green seaming wicket but I think the way Marnus (Labuschagne), Travis Head and Cam Green took on the game was a really good template for any conditions that are foreign to what we might expect.

“We can be the type of team that is brave enough to take that positivity overseas if we need to.

“I think that puts us in a great place.”

Australia travels to Pakistan in March and April for three Test matches along with three ODIs and a T20 clash. Trips to Sri Lanka and India are also scheduled for 2022.

“We’ve played really well here in Australia -- it’s up to us to take that overseas,” Cummins said.

“I think to be the best side in the world you need to win at home, but more importantly you have to be successful overseas.

“That’s a challenge for this side because we haven’t played a lot overseas the last couple of years.

“Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India this year — it’s all really foreign conditions to Australia, so that’s going to be our challenge.”

With AFP