I Don't Understand Why It Has To Be A Batter: Pat Cummins Sees No Reason Why A Bowler Cannot Be The Captain

Australia’s pace spearhead Pat Cummins remains one of the prime contenders to be the next captain of the national Test team. Currently, Pat Cummins serves as the deputy to both Tim Paine and Aaron Finch in red-ball and white-ball cricket respectively. While not many bowlers have become captains in recent times, the 26-year old sees no reason why that should be the case and why it always has to be a batsman.

Along with Pat Cummins, Steve Smith also remains in the frame to take over Australia’s captaincy as Tim Paine and Aaron Finch are nearing the twilight of their careers. Cummins has arguably been one of the most crucial members of the Test team, managing to keep Australia a competitive side even when the ball-tampering scandal broke out and the team’s performances tapered away before getting back on track. In February 2019, he topped the ICC bowling rankings and has held it till now.

Pat Cummins reveals speaking to a few people, who reckoned that Test cricket is the easiest for a bowler to captain since the match moves at a slightly softer pace even though there is plenty of effort put in bowling. The New South Wales speedster understands that there haven’t been plenty of bowling options but sees no justification why a batsman always does the job.

“I have been speaking to a few people and they think out of all formats potentially Tests are easiest for a bowler to captain. Obviously, you’re busy, you’re going to be out there putting a lot of effort into the bowling, but there’s a bit more time afforded to you, the game moves at a slightly softer pace. I know there haven’t been too many bowling options, but I don’t understand why it has to be a batter,” Cummins said as quoted by Times of India.

Michael Clarke backs Pat Cummins as the successor:

Meanwhile, former Australian and World Cup-winning captain Michael Clarke reckons that Pat Cummins is ready for the job and lauded the move of appointing him as the vice-captain. With Aaron Finch and Tim Paine doing greatly in their roles, Clarke feels Cummins has a chance to watch and learn from them. He also hopes for the right-arm speedster to have a chance to captain in practice matches.

“Patty’s ready for it. I love that they’ve given him the full-time vice-captaincy. Right now I think Finchy is doing a great job, Painey is doing a great job, so that gives Pat Cummins the opportunity to learn and watch and sit back and and see how he feels about that role and experience a few different things. Hopefully he gets an opportunity along the way to captain in certain games, whether it be Australia A or whether it be a tour game, whatever it is, which I’m sure he will,” Clarke told cricket.com.au.

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