Michael Clarke Throws His Weight Behind Pacer Pat Cummins To Be Australia’s 47th Test Skipper

Nov 22, 2021 at 6:39 PM

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Michael Clarke Throws His Weight Behind Pacer Pat Cummins To Be Australia’s 47th Test Skipper

Michael Clarke, the former Australian cricketer and ex-skipper, feels Pat Cummins should take over the captaincy of the Test team despite his inexperience with respect to leadership.

Pat Cummins is a prime candidate to lead Australia in the Ashes after Tim Paine decided to step down from the post after his involvement in a texting controversy surfaced on social media.

Australia Captain Tim Paine has stepped down from the role (Mike Egerton/PA) (PA Archive)
Australia captain Tim Paine has stepped down from the role (Mike Egerton/PA) (PA Archive)

Michael Clarke: Australian Senior Cricketers Can Assist Pat Cummins If He’s Appointed Skipper

Pat Cummins, if elected as captain, will only be the third player after Michael Clarke and Greg Chappell to lead Australia without doing so in the Sheffield Shield. Michael Clarke, however, noted that with so much seniority in the team at the moment, this marks the perfect time to pass the leadership baton over to Pat Cummins.

Michael Clarke said: “But with so much seniority in the team, I think it is the right time for him. Because they can help him. Steve Smith, David Warner, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood. These guys have played a truckload of Test cricket. They can be there to help him, with or without the C or VC next to his name.”

Michael Clarke. (Photo Source: Getty Images)
Michael Clarke. (Photo Source: Getty Images)(Photo by Pramod Thakur/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

Pat Cummins’ teammate Travis Head also backed him to be the team’s next Test captain. Cricket Australia announced earlier that they have begun the accelerated process of selecting the next Test captain, but they have not reached a conclusion as of yet. Tim Paine has led his country to 11 wins, four draws, and eight defeats in 23 Tests captained. Under Tim Paine’s leadership, Australia had retained the Ashes.

As things stand, there has been no word on who will be the Test captain when the Ashes first Test begins on December 8 in Brisbane. Michael Clarke, who has been a vocal supporter of Pat Cummins being made skipper since 2018, thinks that one needs to see how the 28-year-old is involved with the on-field proceedings.

Michael Clarke: Pat Cummins Reads The Game Well And The Way He Changes Field Tactics, Motivates Teammates And Sets The Field Is The Mark Of A Future Skipper

Michael Clarke is a huge advocate for pacer Pat Cummins, having touted him as a future leader of the team back in 2018 itself. Michael Clarke noted that the way Pat Cummins talks to his fellow players and sets the field is the mark of a captain.

The former Australian captain Michael Clarke said: “You have to allow him time to get into this job. Because he hasn’t had 10 years of captain first-grade or state cricket. But sometimes you can see certain things in people, and I think he’s got it. He reads the game. He’s a cricket captain. Looking at on the field tactics. The way he talks to his players. The way he sets the field when he bowls.”

Pat Cummins appears favourite to take over the vacant Test captaincy with the Ashes series looming. Credit: AAP
Pat Cummins appears favourite to take over the vacant Test captaincy with the Ashes series looming. Credit: AAP

Cricket Australia has already hinted at the prospect of player rotation in the Ashes, with fast bowlers being the prime focus of the initiative. Apart from the appointment of the captain, the call to select a vice-captain would be equally crucial as Pat Cummins could possibly miss out on a Test or two.

Steve Smith is a potential option after his ban on leadership roles was lifted. Another option lies in the form of Marnus Labuschagne, but the batsman is yet to collect leadership experience. Steve Smith has already declared his interest in leading the national side again following the end of his ban. He became eligible to lead the side after two years had passed since the ball-tampering incident in South Africa.

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