Michael Clarke Feels Pat Cummins Is Ready To Captain Australia In All Three Formats

Michael Clarke has backed Pat Cummins to lead Australia in all three formats as Tim Paine’s captaincy has failed to impress in the recently concluded Border Gavaskar Trophy. The limited-overs captain Aaron Finch has also been out of form in the Big Bash League and will be under pressure to score runs as he will be low on confidence. Michael Clarke suggested that the time has come for Pat Cummins to lead Australia in three formats.

Also with the T20 world cup coming next year and the Ashes getting ready, it is time for Australia to get the timing right for changes in captaincy. Australia will be heading to New Zealand for their T20 tour while the test squad of Australia will be playing simultaneously against the South Africa team in course of time.

Until the Ashes, the test skipper has to be Tim Paine according to Michael Clarke as a debut captain for Ashes will make it even tougher for Australia to win the series.

Michael Clarke Wants The Timing Of Captaincy Change To Be Perfect

Michael Clarke has told even if Australia sticks with the current captains, there shouldn’t be a change until the T20 world cup in India and until the Ashes. He told me that if the captaincy has to change at the time of ashes or the T20 world cup, it will be difficult times for Australia.

They’ve got to make a decision based on timing, for both formats. Australia go to South Africa for a Test series, then they come back, and we’ve got the Ashes next. For mine, if Tim Paine is going to be the captain during the Ashes, stick with him.

“If he’s not, he’s got to go now because you’ve got to give the new captain the opportunity in that format before an Ashes series. Way too big a series to walk in and make your debut as a captain. Too big. [If Paine goes to South Africa], he’s got to be a part of the Ashes series,” Clarke told Sky Sports Radio.

Pat Cummins Showed Glimpses Of Captaincy

Michael Clarke added that he had seen glimpses of good captaincy from Pat Cummins and also Cummins looked ready to be the next captain. Pat Cummins was the man of the series during the loss against India at home and Clarke praised Cummins for showing character even when Australia was on a losing cause.

“Pat Cummins just showed us he’s ready. Whatever you throw at this Australian team and at Pat Cummins, he’s ready. He’s shown his character; the man of the series in a series that you just got beaten by, at one stage, India’s second-string team. Pat Cummins, he is the one player that did stand up for Australia, so I think we very clearly got a good glimpse at the type of character Pat Cummins is,” Clarke said.

Michael Clarke also referred to the former captain Steve Smith and told that he doesn’t see Smith returning as the Australian leader again.