Pat Cummins tasked with healing Australia after time of Paine

Saturday, 27 November 2021 01:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Pat Cummins – Getty Images

Reuters: Fast bowler Pat Cummins was confirmed as Australia’s 47th test captain on Friday, tasked with galvanising the team at short order before the Ashes amid the fall-out from Tim Paine’s resignation and decision to take a break from cricket.

Cummins will be supported by new vice-captain Steve Smith, who returns to a formal leadership role for the first time since losing the captaincy during the Newlands ball-tampering scandal in 2018.

As former skipper Paine’s vice-captain, Cummins was considered a shoo-in to replace the wicketkeeper, who on Friday stepped away from all cricket to take a “mental health break” after damaging revelations of a ‘sexting’ scandal.

However, the appointment is still remarkable given that Australia has almost always favoured batsmen as captains.

Cummins becomes only the second fast bowler to captain the side after Ray Lindwall, who led for one test against India in the mid-1950s.

“There’s a couple of more unknowns about having a bowling captain and that’s why I think from the outset I was absolutely determined if I was captain to have someone like Steve as vice-captain next to me,” Cummins told reporters from the team’s Gold Coast base.

“I feel like I’ve got quite a lot of experience to draw on. I think a lot of the problems or potential issues around being a fast-bowling captain, hopefully – I’m sure we’ll be able to work through.”

Popular, telegenic and amiable in public, Cummins becomes captain a decade after his sensational Test debut as an 18-year-old, when he took a seven-wicket match haul at the Wanderers to help beat South Africa.

He had to wait nearly six years for his next test due to injuries but now tops the world’s test bowling rankings.