Australia Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins has talked about the future of senior players in the Australian team including David Warner going forward as he preps for the fifth and final Test of the Ashes 2023 series.
Cummins is over halfway through his two years as captain, and when he was named in late 2021, he said he might not stay in the position as long as some. However, if he plays on for at least another couple of years, it would likely coincide with the beginning of the team’s regeneration as veteran players start to retire, with a risk that a sizable number could go in a short period of time.
David Warner has stated that he will be leaving Test cricket early in next year, but Cummins is not in a rush to push others forward even though he is convinced that replacements will be there when needed.
“I certainly don’t want to rush anyone out the door. I think this is about the fourth Ashes series where Jimmy Anderson says it’s going to be his last one. You never know. It’s just an age. Some of these guys might be around here in four years, and still at the top level. We’ll see.
It’s always a conversation. In cricket, we’re lucky you’ve got white-ball cricket where you can kind of have a soft entry for a lot of the guys, give them exposure to international cricket. It’s something the selectors talk about, but really you try and pick your best XI each week,” Pat Cummins said ahead of the Oval Test.
I’m A Bowler First, Captain Second: Pat Cummins Ahead Of The ODI World Cup 2023
Prior to the World Cup in India later this year, Pat Cummins has said he might not captain Australia in every one-day international. After the last Test, there will be a three-week respite for the Ashes’ multi-format players, but it won’t be long before the focus turns to white-ball cricket.
Cummins was appointed ODI captain last October following the retirement of Aaron Finch. Since then Australia has only had six matches in the format, but Cummins has played just two of them. Josh Hazlewood captained in one game against England, while Steve Smith led the side against India.
“I know the selectors have been really clear that I’m a bowler first in that team. So if we need to manage some of those games leading into the World Cup that takes precedence over the continuity of being captain every single game.
We’ll manage that, but there’s a great team around us of players and staff so while I’m the captain and it’s a bigger workload it’s manageable,” he added.