I Think Pat Cummins Is At The Top Of The Pack To Assume Australia's Test Captain Position - Adam Gilchrist

Former Australia keeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist has earmarked Pat Cummins to take over the captaincy duties from Tim Paine whenever the wicket-keeper hangs his boots, which is likely to be after the home Ashes series in December-January.

Pat Cummins, the current vice-captain, and Steve Smith, the former skipper are in contention to take the position which would be emptied by Paine at some point. Adam Gilchrist, for one, gives his vote to the lanky pacer.

He highlighted that Cummins has the respect of all the players and should make a good leader on and off the field.

“Pat Cummins is literally the type of leader that Australian cricket admires and the players acknowledge and respect. I think he is the leader by way of being at the top of the pack to assume that position. Be it the first Test at the Gabba, the first Test of the next summer or whenever the next Test cricket is after this summer, whenever Tim Paine does finish up,” Adam Gilchrist told SEN.

“It is inevitably getting closer, the changing of the guard at the top, and I think Pat is the gentleman that’s positioned highest in readiness to take over.”

I don’t think Pat Cummins should be pigeonholed just because he’s a fast bowler

Adam Gilchrist, a former vice-captain and someone who led Australia to 4 Test victories filling in the absence of the regular skipper at times, asserted that Cummins shouldn’t be discarded from the captaincy race just because he is a fast bowler.

“For a certain individual, I don’t think anyone should be pigeonholed. For me, personally, I don’t think I would have made a great fist of being full-time captain. I personally felt it would have been challenging to focus on everything you’ve got and captain the team regularly.

“But Tim Paine’s done a terrific job at it, MS Dhoni was outstanding, so too was Andy Flower in Zimbabwe. There’s a few instances when you’re an exception, and Pat Cummins should be considered that. He is balanced enough, professional enough and skillful enough. I don’t think Pat should be pigeonholed just because he’s a fast bowler,” the 49-year-old commentator opined.

The first Ashes Test is slated for Brisbane on December 8, followed by Tests in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Perth. Cummins, the number 1 Test bowler, will once again hold key to Australia’s success in the Ashes, as he did in the 2019 series in England, taking 29 wickets then.

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