Leading Aussies from the front, Pat Cummins style

Is captaincy an art or a science in cricket has been debated over and over again. In an era gone by, a captain was picked, sometimes, just on the basis of his leadership skills. One name which readily comes to the mind is Mike Brearley, whose astute skills for England were well-known. For someone who played over four decades ago, Brearley had a great record at that time, winning 18 and losing only four Tests.

Much has changed since that period. Today, no captain is picked just because he is perceived to be a great leader. Even if you take Indian cricket, the last three Test captains, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had worked hard, got the experience and were then asked to lead. That two captains of India, Kohli and Rohit were treated shabbily and exited is well known.

Coming, specifically, to Australian Test captain Pat Cummins, he is a seasoned pro. Hearing his video after Australia lost to South Africa in the ICC Test Championship final on Saturday, Cummins did not mince words. Not bitter but realistic, he said Australia had to press the ‘reset button.’ What it means in simple language is, the Aussies had their chances and then lost it, what with the wicket on Day 3 easing out.

Of course, Cummins, who has led Australia with flair, was offering no excuse. Images of him playing with his son after the defeat at the Lord’s suggest he in a good frame of mind. At the same time, Cummins is bound to fly back home and discuss with the selectors in the Australian board what needs to be done, going forward.

There is a worry over Steve Smith, who has injured his finger and is expected to be out of action for a while. The Aussie top order is what needs a reset, and some familiar names will be axed. “We’ve got a couple of weeks before the first Test in the Windies, so we’ll sit down and have a bit of a think,” said Cummins, after the final. This was a measured response, minus any rancour.

For those who have seen Pat Cummins the skipper, he has led Australia to great results as well as in the IPL. Of course, in the summer of 2025, results of Sunrisers Hyderabad were not good. Cummins had offered his explanation for this as well, where his side produced surprise results after the forced break in the IPL, post Operation Sindoor. By then, SRH were out of contention. Cummins did come to India, played and then went to England for the ICC Test final.

It is interesting to reflect on what the Aussie skipper has said. Unlike India, there is no clarion call ‘sack the captain.’ The Aussies have won a bucketful of trophies and this one loss will ensure they come back stronger. Cummins also explained how the new Test cycle, 2025 to 2027, kicks in. “To make these finals, it’s normally off the back of being strong at home, but you’ve got to win some away series too,” he told reporters at the post-match press conference on Saturday.

For those who feel Test cricket faces an existential crisis, don’t fear. The longest and oldest format will survive and countries which take the red ball format seriously will have no problem. Cummins also knows how important the much-hyped Ashes series is, later this year.

A few months back, Pat Cummins had published his book titled ‘TESTED.” It is a unique book, where the Aussie skipper has himself engaged in conversations with many former greats and put forth his thoughts in the 280 page book published by Harper Collins.

In his own words, captaincy was thrust upon Cummins in November 2021. The Aussies take great pride in playing for their country. He recalls how he made the decision to accept captaincy as a challenge, since there was a major crisis in Aussie cricket after Tim Paine had been thrown out over explicit ‘sexting’ messages he had sent out to a female colleague. It was like a sudden call for Cummins, come and take charge.

The period when Cummins had to take up Australian captaincy also was eventful due to the Covid pandemic and the feared Bio Bubble. The new skipper’s mother was also battling cancer at that time. Yet, he did not see captaincy as an overload but a challenge which could not have been refused.

“I found I had strong feelings about what kind of captain I’d like to lead. I wanted to empower the other players and collaborate with them. I wanted to foster an environment of respect, and I wanted to be role model for younger players, while being authentic and honest,” writes Cummins in the first few pages of his book.

Perhaps, he will get back to the Aussie board with that same frankness as he leads the Baggy Green side. Again. Remember, the hurt Aussies will be dangerous, more so with Cummins as captain.