Ashes 2023: Pat Cummins remains calm as Australian captaincy called into question

The Australian skipper looked unfazed when confronted with questions over his fitness for the role, owing to the ‘thick skin’ he’s spent two years building.

Given Pat Cummins was Australia’s first fast-bowling Test captain in more than 60 years, his stewardship was always likely to be viewed differently to those of his recent predecessors.

When Cummins was announced as skipper after Tim Paine’s shock resignation less than a month out from the Ashes in late 2021, the paceman said he hoped to be playing into his mid-30s but added that “I’d doubt that I’ll be captaining that long.”

Cummins has already led Australia in 20 Tests for 11 wins, four losses and five draws. His winning percentage of 55 as a Test captain compares favourably with those of Mark Taylor (52), Paine (47.82) and Michael Clarke (51.06), and is marginally beneath that of Steve Smith (55.26). Of those to captain in 20 or more Tests, Steve Waugh (71.92) and Ricky Ponting (62.33) are the clear benchmarks, having led the “golden generation” sides.

Cummins has struggled to have a serious impact on the pitch through the first four Tests. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Still, after delivering probably the worst all-round performance of his Test career in Manchester last week, it should have been no shock that the long-term viability of Cummins in the role would come into question.

While few pundits were quite as brazen as former Australian backup wicketkeeper Darren Berry, who tipped Cummins to resign after this series, former star and ex-national selector Mark Waugh pondered on Fox Cricket whether it was in the best interests of Cummins’ cricket for him to be skipper.

“I just think he’s looked tired. He’s looked frazzled. It’s affecting his bowling, his captaincy, it’s affecting his fielding. He’s dropped catches, and you don’t want that from potentially the best cricketer in your team,” Waugh said.

In the field against England at Manchester the Aussies looked all at sea, and Cummins conceded things had got away from them, taking ownership for the failings.

“Yeah, It’s something we speak a lot of as a group. Is a calm environment, it’s off the field but on the field as well,” Cummins said.

"I'm not going to the casino!" 🤣🎰

Pat Cummins says he would have chosen to bowl first as well, had Australia won the toss! pic.twitter.com/vyOiXoRL8g

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 19, 2023

“Yeah, probably wasn’t our best day in terms of that. And that’s my fault. It’s no-one else’s. It’s tough. You’re out there, the wicket’s a flat wicket, the batters are batting well, it’s played at a different pace to pretty much any Test cricket before.

“You’ve seen similar on the flip side as well with them, having nine fielders out, the whole dynamics is different. It’s good. I love the problem-solving aspect of it. Learnt a lot of lessons from the last game.”

Then there is Cummins’ performance as a player. As a bowler he took 164 wickets at 21.59 before being made captain. Since taking over, his record has diminished marginally, taking 73 wickets at 24.61; albeit seven of his 20 Tests in that period have come in Asia, compared to just four of his 34 as non-skipper.

In any case, Cummins does not seem flustered by all the chat about his leadership.

Cummins has managed to keep questions of his leadership out of sight and mind. Picture: Alex Davidson/Getty Images

“I honestly haven’t read anything,” Cummins said.

“A few things have come across my desk from the boys having a laugh. I’ve been in this job two years now and you learn pretty quickly that you’ve got to have a thick skin. It’s such a great bunch of players of staff here that we all know what everyone is about and how we are going to go about it, and for me that’s more important than anything else. I’m not going to please everyone and everyone’s got opinions but they aren’t facts, they’re opinions.”

As this generation of players seeks to cap its era by becoming the first Australian men’s team to win an away Ashes series in 22 years, Cummins says he wants to help usher in the next group.

“The biggest asset we have is the experience of the group and that’s not going to be around for ever,” Cummins said.

Cummins and Mitchell Starc head up Australia’s ‘experienced’ bowling line-up. Picture: Visionhaus/Getty Images

“We’re very individualised in how we let everyone be themselves and do it their way. Some of that’s down to the fact that we’ve got guys that have played 100 Test matches of 15 years of first-class cricket.

“If there’s new guys in maybe you need to shift that a little bit more. It’s exciting – that’s what I like about the job.”

And he will not put an end point on his stint.

“I think it does have a shelf life. I won’t put a date on it, I’ve got to get there first. I feel like every Test match I learn quite a bit, you just get exposed to more things with each game. I’m loving working with this team and the staff. Enjoying it at the moment, we’ll see what the future holds. Feel like with each game, getting better, and I think there’s a fair bit more left in me.”

Originally published as Ashes 2023: Pat Cummins remains calm as Australian captaincy called into question