Australia has returned the lost trophy to carry on a string of notable victories under Cummins.
As he gets ready to prioritize his family and forgo his first complete tour since succeeding Tim Paine four years ago, Pat Cummins’ captaincy appears to have no end in sight.
Australia completed an incredible run for the squad under Cummins with a six-wicket victory over India at the SCG on Sunday, securing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and guaranteeing that they hold every bilateral trophy they play for.
After the SCG victory, Cummins was asked whether he thought he “had completed cricket” because ODI and T20 World Cups were also won during that period.
As he awaits the arrival of his second kid, Cummins said on Sunday that he “probably might struggle” to play in Sri Lanka and would probably miss Australia’s upcoming trip.
After filling in four times in the previous four years, Steven Smith is anticipated to take his spot as captain once more. Ultimately, though, Cummins remains motivated and does not feel that his role as captain is over.
“First of all, I absolutely love what I do. That’s the biggest driver in wanting to play Test cricket and work with this team and support staff,” Cummins stated. “I absolutely love everything about it; it’s that much fun. If I can keep doing it for a while, even better.”
Since Sam Konstas is the only player in the fifth Test squad under 30, the team’s transition has been a major topic of conversation for the past year. Although Cummins first hinted at a shorter stay when he took over in 2021, he still has a few of years left in him, with a massive 2027 planned that includes away Test trips of England and India.
“You always talk about [succession]. We have two vice-captains in the team. We have had three debutants in this series,” Cummins stated. “You always strike a balance between the present and the future, but you also get a glimpse of the future.
“We often talk about such things, but I don’t see the purpose in doing things just for the sake of doing them. Over the coming years, such might come to pass.
Cummins was a tremendous leader in the Border-Gavaskar trophy victory, which ended in a 3-1 victory. After being crushed by 295 runs in the first game of the series, the Australian squad he was in charge of received a lot of criticism.
Players were known to be irritated by claims of team disintegration following the criticism of Josh Hazlewood’s news conference remarks by certain media outlets. After Cummins and other players boycotted white-ball matches prior to the Tests, the team’s preparation was also closely scrutinized.
However, following Perth, Cummins took charge of the team at nearly every chance, and his leadership was at its best during last week’s thrilling victory at the MCG.
“When you start a series behind, a lot of things get questioned, fairly and unfairly,” Cummins stated. “But I think it shows a strength of the group to stay strong. Know we weren’t at our best but we can be better.”
