Image: Pat Cummins is excited about Jasprit Bumrah leading India at BGT / © Vartha Bharati
It’s rare to see a fast bowler captaining a team in Test cricket or other formats. However, Optus Stadium will witness a special moment when two of the best fast bowlers, Bumrah and Cummins, lead their teams in a thrilling contest for bragging rights in the upcoming match.
Since becoming captain of the Australian ODI and Test teams, Cummins has taken the team to new successes. As a fast bowler himself, the 31-year-old has supported the idea of more fast bowlers becoming captains, citing Tim Southee’s time as New Zealand’s Test captain as a positive example.
Pat Cummins commented on Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling performance:
Yeah, great to see. It should happen more (bowlers being captains, Bumrah). The New Zealand series last year was good, with Tim Southee as captain as well. Yeah, so, yeah, I do not think it really changes too much again, but it is one of those rare things. So, yeah, looking forward to seeing how he goes about his work out there. But, as a fan of fast bowling, it is always good to see.
Cummins has found success as Australia’s Test captain, while Bumrah is still adjusting to the experience of leading a team in high-stakes situations. Bumrah became the ideal choice for captain after Rohit Sharma was unavailable for the Perth match due to personal reasons.