- Pat Cummins is a clear advocate of his own leadership style.
- He feels like a superior captain to Michael Clarke
- Both men were highly successful as Australian Test captains.
Australian Test star Pat Cummins has created a stir after openly declaring that he is a better captain than Michael Clarke.
Cummins, 31, was a guest on KIIS FM’s The Kyle & Jackie O breakfast show on Tuesday and didn’t hesitate when tabloid host Kyle Sandilands quizzed him on his leadership skills.
“Well, I mean, you have to back yourself, don’t you?” Of course (I’m a better captain), the decorated paceman, who has snared 269 Test wickets, told listeners.
‘I did it (captaincy) for two years, he (Clarke) did it for about five or more.
‘I mean, he’s got a pretty good record… he was also my captain when I first started playing (Test cricket).’
Cummins made his Test debut in 2011 against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg aged just 18.
Surprisingly, it was just his. Fourth first-class match of his career.
He then replaced Tim Paine in November 2021 as Australia’s Test captain and has overseen a golden period since then.
Australian Test star Pat Cummins has attracted attention after openly declaring that he is a better captain than Michael Clarke.
Clarke was Australia’s Test captain from 2011 to 2015, and also captained them to an ODI World Cup victory on home soil in 2015.
It includes the ICC World Test Championship, retaining the Ashes in England and the ODI World Cup last year after defeating a shell-shocked India in front of their own fans.
Cummins has also been following the Paris Olympics closely and was thrilled when it was confirmed the sport will be contested at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
“It was fantastic to see the whole country supporting him… I would love to experience the Olympics as an athlete… it would be incredible,” she said.
Cummins, meanwhile, is expected to feature for New South Wales in the run-up to the highly-anticipated Test series against India this summer.
“Ronnie (coach Andrew McDonald) called me the other day and said we needed to talk about this,” Cummins told News Corp.
‘I’d rather come in a bit fresher, but definitely play some cricket beforehand as well.
“I’d say it’ll be two or three ODIs for the Blues, plus a Shield game. I’d imagine I’ll start preparing for the Tests by late October or early November.”
And with a series against Sri Lanka quickly following the five Tests against India, Cummins is unlikely to feature in the Big Bash League in December with the Sydney Thunder.