Pat Cummins is set to replace Tim Paine as Australia’s Test captain, Steve Smith has been made deputy. After the ball-tampering scandal broke in South Africa, a number of players have resigned from their positions and Pat will be at the helm for an indefinite period ahead of this summer’s Ashes series in England. No official announcement has yet been made by Cricket Australia or Australian cricket selectors.
The “Tim Paine” is a cricketer who was the captain of Australia’s national cricket team. Pat Cummins has been named as the new captain to replace him. Steve Smith remains as the deputy.,
Cummins (left) and Smith (right) will lead Australia’s bid to retain the Ashes.
Pat Cummins, a 28-year-old fast bowler, has been named Australia’s Test captain for the Ashes, with previous skipper Steve Smith serving as his deputy.
Tim Paine, 36, resigned as captain on Friday after a lengthy probe over sexually graphic messages sent to a female coworker.
In 2018, Smith was relieved of his captaincy due to his involvement in unlawful ball tampering.
Cummins remarked, “I am pleased to assume this job ahead of what will be a huge Ashes season.”
“I’m hoping to offer the same level of leadership that Tim has provided the group over the last five years.”
“We are a strong and closely knit bunch with Steve and I as captains, a handful of very veteran players in our team, and some terrific new talent coming through.”
On December 8, the Ashes series will begin.
After Ray Lindwall’s lone Test in charge in India in 1956, Cummins is just the second specialist fast bowler to lead Australia in Tests. Since Richie Benaud in 1964, he is the first bowler of any description to occupy the position.
After the controversies surrounding his two predecessors’ exits, he acknowledged that the job will be scrutinized far more.
“I am my own toughest critic when it comes to moral character,” he continued.
“I’m not perfect, and there will be problems that come up, but as long as I can sleep at night, I’m OK with everything else.”
Smith’s elevation marks his return to a leadership capacity after serving a one-year suspension from the sport and a two-year suspension from any Australia leadership post for his participation in tampering with the ball during a tense series against South Africa in 2018.
Bancroft and Smith confess to tampering with the ball in 2018.
The act received worldwide criticism, with Australia’s then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull describing it as “shocking and deeply disappointing.”
Cricket Smith’s suspension from holding a leadership role in Australia ended in March 2020, and since then, the 32-year-old has led Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League.
“I am a more well-rounded guy [than in 2018], and as a result, I am a better leader,” Smith added.
“I’m really blessed to have my buddy Steve Smith with me as VC,” Cummins said on Twitterexternal-link.
Cummins is presently ranked as the best Test bowler in the world by the International Cricket Council.
Pat Cummins has 164 Test wickets to his name in 34 Tests for Australia.
He has 164 wickets at an average of 21.59 in 34 Tests, including five five-wicket hauls.
Cummins made his Test debut against South Africa when he was 18 years old in 2011, but he didn’t play again for another six years due to injuries, including multiple stress fractures in his back.
Apart from missing a trip of the United Arab Emirates to play Pakistan in 2018 due to a back ailment, he has been an effective and consistent element of Australia’s assault since his comeback against India in March 2017.
In the two most recent Ashes series, he has taken the most wickets: 23 in Australia in 2017-18, when the hosts triumphed 4-0 to reclaim the urn, and 29 in England in 2019, when his team drew 2-2 to retain the urn.
Cummins was part of a formidable pace attack in each of those series, including Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, and also James Pattinson in 2019.
Both Starc and Hazlewood are in the 2021-22 team, but they are anticipated to rotate, with fast bowler Jhye Richardson and seamer Michael Neser also named. Pattinson resigned from international cricket last month, but both Starc and Hazlewood remain in the squad.
Cummins, as captain, is expected to play all five Tests in in 42 days.
Cummins was also a significant member of Australia’s T20 World Cup-winning team, led by limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch.
