The Ashes 2021-22: Pat Cummins' Status As An Elite Performer Is Beyond Argument- Michael Atherton

Former England captain Michael Atherton was full of praise for newly-appointed Australian Test skipper, Pat Cummins, and compared his passion for Test cricket to that of the Indian Test captain, Virat Kohli.

Cummins has taken over the captaincy reins from Tim Paine following the latter’s hasty exit and indefinite break from cricket. His first assignment will be the Ashes series and Atherton implied that his performance as a bowler won’t change.

“Cummins’s status as an elite performer is beyond argument. He lays good claim to being the best fast bowler in Test cricket today and is ranked the No 1 Test bowler. He is strong and fast, and, having overcome the serious back injuries of his youth, has put together an impressive CV. Like Virat Kohli, he carries a torch for Test cricket, having frequently announced it as his favourite form of the game, despite the millions earned in the Indian Premier League,” Atherton wrote in his column for The Times.

“Will his body last the course?” – Michael Atherton

Michael Atherton further questioned whether Pat Cummins is capable of keeping his emotions and personal battles in check while bowling and continue thinking both as a bowler and a captain. Since the Test series is a long and gruelling one comprising five matches, Atherton was inquisitive about the fitness of Cummins as well.

“Can he break the mould? Can he control his emotions in a one-on-one contest with a batsman and think critically and coolly about the bigger picture? Can he find the right balance between under-bowling and over bowling himself? How will he combine the extreme physical demands with the constant requirement to be thinking about the game? No more grazing at fine leg in between overs to rest up. Will his body last the course?”

“All these are legitimate questions that must be answered. At the Gabba yesterday, he lined up with Joe Root alongside a giant replica urn and he certainly looked the part. Still, anyone who says that Rocky IV is the best sports movie ever made must have his flaws. It is on the field, as Cummins tries to balance the intense demands of captaincy and fast bowling, that England will look to expose them,” Atherton went on to add.

The first Test begins at the Gabba on December 8 before the teams move to Adelaide and Melbourne for the second and third Test respectively.

Also Read- Ashes 2021-22: If You Can Manoeuvre The Game So That James Anderson Can Bowl At Night, He’ll Bowl Australia Out In An Hour And A Half – Geoffrey Boycott