The Australian captain Pat Cummins has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for December 2023, following his exceptional performance in the test series against Pakistan. The 30-year-old finished with the most wickets for Australia against the Men in Green, taking 19 wickets in three games, including a 10-fer in the second game.
Pat Cummins had a dream year in 2023, winning the ICC World Test Championship, and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, and retaining the Ashes for Australia under his captaincy. The ICC Player of the Month award would be a fitting finish for Pat Cummins to his memorable year.
The Australian skipper outplayed Bangladesh’s Taijul Islam and New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips to win the monthly award for the first time in his cricketing career. As a result, the Australian dominance over the Men’s Player of the Month continues, with Travis Head winning in November for his brilliant performance in the ODI World Cup 2023.
The Australian skipper Pat Cummins set an example with the ball in the test match against Pakistan at home. Cummins led Australia’s dominance with five wickets in each innings (5/48 & 5/49), bringing his total to 250 in Test cricket. His Player of the Match performance sealed the series for Australia, allowing them to reclaim their Test number one position.
Cummins has been rested for the next ODI series against West Indies, with Steve Smith taking leadership of the team. The Australian all-rounder will be looking to minimize his workload ahead of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season and the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the United States.
The Australian team has been on a roll, winning the 2021 T20 World Cup, the WTC and ODI World Cups this year, and retaining the coveted Ashes series on foreign soil. Pat Cummins played an important role for the team with bat and ball alongside his captaincy in 2023.
Pat Cummins, who led Australia to the World Cup triumph in India, was picked by the Sunrisers Hyderabad for 20.5 crore at the IPL Auction and is likely to lead the Hyderabad-based franchise for the forthcoming season of IPL.
The Right-arm pacer had a year to remember in the longer format of the game, toiling away with one long spell after another to finish the year with 42 scalps at 27.50 each and a wicket every 45.73 deliveries. It is also worth noting Cummins’ magnificent undefeated partnership of 55 with Nathan Lyon for the ninth wicket, which helped Australia take the lead in the Ashes in a thrilling game in Birmingham.