Cricket captain of Australia, Pat Cummins, is facing severe health ailments. With the seemingly endless Ashes series looming on the horizon, his injury is becoming an acute worry. In the intervening time, Cummins has become one of the premier fast bowlers in world cricket. Given his recent spate of back injuries, his availability for the next game against England could be in doubt. This unexpected turn of events leaves many wondering how it will affect Australia. Cummins’ impact extends beyond player upon which future success is staked – he is a passionate leader.
Cummins made his Test match debut at the age of 18 – against South Africa at the Wanderers in 2011. Throughout his career he has acquired a notable 309 Test wickets at an average of 22.10. He is the equal-fifth fastest bowler to 150 Test wickets. He achieved this highly unusual milestone vs India in Adelaide in his 31st match in 2020.
His performance on the field has consistently demonstrated his capability and skill. Cummins has 177 Australian wickets, at a superb average of 19.92. He has a particularly tough time for England, having taken 91 wickets at an average of just 19 in 19 fixtures. During the most recent Ashes series in 2023, he played all five Tests and took 18 wickets, leading the team with both his bowling and leadership.
That said, Cummins’ storied career has had its share of bumps. He’s battled through multiple back-to-back injuries that sidelined him in the most important moments. It’s worth noting that he was sidelined three of those four Australian summers from 2012-2016 due to flare-ups. Unfortunately, recent scans revealed that he has developed an acute lumbar bone stress injury in his back. In light of this, he was declared unavailable for Australia’s white-ball series against New Zealand and India last month.
Justin Langer, the former Australian coach, commented on Cummins’ mindset regarding his injury:
“In his mind nothing has changed since he was first diagnosed following Australia’s Test tour to the West Indies in July.”
Langer’s remark adds new focus to Cummins’ desire to bounce back after suffering a slew of injury-niggles recently. His resilience has been a calling card of his career up to this point.
With the Ashes series just around the corner, the possibility of Cummins missing is a big worry for the Australian team. His leadership and bowling prowess are key for Australia to compete with England and win. Stuart Broad, the English bowler, acknowledged this impact, stating:
“Ashes cricket is the best against the best. Although him missing means England’s chances of winning go up hugely, we want to see Pat play.”
The competitive spirit of the Ashes series is evident behind these words. Having key players like Cummins on the field and keeping them there is paramount to that success.
Impressive as those accomplishments are Cummins’ captaincy records only serve to underscore his value to the side. As such, he is the only Test captain ever to win the World Test Championship. He won a World Cup and an Ashes series by the way. His leadership during a successful 2023 included taking six wickets in the World Test Championship final and playing a vital role in Australia’s victory at the 50-over World Cup final in Ahmedabad against India.
Cummins’ priority is on his recovery as he gets himself set for this winter’s Ashes. His injury woes might be a critical inflection point in his career. Having to go through that pain again is an even scarier thought for him and his teammates.
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