Pat Cummins sees no reason why a bowler can’t captain the Australian Test team

Australian vice-captain Pat Cummins is an injury away from being Test skipper and he “can’t understand” why some people think a bowler can’t be in charge.

Star Aussie fast bowler Pat Cummins will play the first Test without any red-ball preparation. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts

Pat Cummins says he “can’t understand” why a batsman has to be captain after former Australian skipper Michael Clarke endorsed the fast bowler and national vice-captain as the next man in line.

The captaincy isn’t up for grabs with Tim Paine solidly entrenched as the Test leader and Aaron Finch equally as locked in as leader of the white-ball teams.

But an injury to Finch, who turned 34 in November, during the T20 series against India thrust Matthew Wade into the captaincy with Cummins on a break, and discussions about leadership in Australian ranks intensified.

Star batsman, and former captain, Steve Smith needs to go through a process before he can take the role again despite “discussions” taking place when Wade was given the role.

“There‘s obviously a process that needs to be done. For me I just said I’m happy to do whatever’s best for the team and that’s the same going forward,” Smith said on Thursday.

Clarke, however, had no qualms declaring Cummins, now the lone vice-captain to Paine and Finch and just an injury to either away from stepping in, as the man to take over.

“Patty‘s ready for it. I love that they’ve given him the full-time vice-captaincy,” Clarke was reported as saying.

“For me it‘s the right person for the job that’s the most important, not whether you’re a batter or bowler.”

Cummins, who has never captained a team at any level, has been speaking to people about the captaincy workload and whether he could do it or not.

Steve Smith wasn't too sure what to make of Marnus Labuschagne's "strange exercises" in the gym! 😂@alintaenergy | #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/PH97SSWS1d

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He said the result of those conversations left him in no doubt a bowler could be captain, if only at Test level.

“Speaking to a few people, they think out of all the formats Tests are the easiest for a bowler to captain,” Cummins said on Friday.

“You are busy and you are going to be putting a lot of effort into bowling. But there’s a bit more time that is afforded to you, the game moves at a slightly softer pace.

“I know there haven’t been too many bowling captains, but I don’t understand why it has to be a batter.”

Michael Clarke was Pat Cummins’ captain when he burst onto the international scene and during the triumphant 2015 World Cup. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith

Ray Lindwall is the last fast bowler to captain Australia. He did it for one Test in India in 1956.

But while Cummins was happy for Clarke’s endorsement, he said taking over the captaincy wasn’t front of mind for him.

“He (Clarke) made me walk taller in my early years when I felt like I was still trying to find my feet playing for Australia,” Cummins said.

“Having an ex-captain who has been there and done that is a vote of confidence, that’s nice.

“But it means absolutely nothing because we have some great captains at the moment.”