Tag: Pat Cummins

DUBAI: Australia’s Pat Cummins has been named the captain of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Test Team of the Year 2024 on Friday, featuring India’s Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Cummins is the only Australian in the line-up, with four players from England, two from New Zealand and one from Sri Lanka.

Cummins has been named the captain of the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year for the second consecutive year. He earned this honor after leading Australia to the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final, overseeing victories against Pakistan, New Zealand, and India.

Not only has Cummins demonstrated outstanding leadership, but he has also made significant contributions with both bat and ball. In 2024, he took 37 wickets at an average of 24.02 and scored 306 runs, averaging 23.53.

India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal earns a spot at the top of the order after scoring 1,478 runs during the year at an impressive average of 54.74. His performance included double centuries in back-to-back Tests against England in February and a superb 161 against Australia in Perth.

His opening partner, Ben Duckett, played a crucial role in England’s Test success in 2024. Duckett’s aggressive batting established the foundation for England to post massive totals.

His consistency allowed him to finish as the third-highest run-scorer of 2024, behind his compatriot Joe Root and India’s Jaiswal. Overall, Duckett amassed 1,149 runs at an average of 37.06.

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Century-makers litter the middle order, comprised of New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, English duo Joe Root and Harry Brook and Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis.

Williamson notched 1,013 runs in 2024 at an average of almost 60, while Brook’s 1,100 calendar runs were headlined by a record knock of 317 in victory over Pakistan in October.

Mendis enjoyed a breakthrough year, hitting five centuries and becoming the fastest to 1,000 Test runs in 75 years, while the evergreen Root scored more Test runs (1,556) and recorded more centuries (6) than anyone else.

Jamie Smith earns a spot as the designated wicketkeeper in the Test Team of the Year, six months after making his Test debut for England, thanks to 637 runs in nine Tests which included a maiden hundred against Sri Lanka in August.

Captain Cummins is joined in the bowling group by all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja of India, who boasted 527 runs and 48 wickets in his Test year. Also with 48 wickets is New Zealand’s Matt Henry, the pacer making impressive contributions against Australia, India and England.

Completing the list is top-ranked Test bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who excelled once more with the ball in hand, topping the wicket-taking charts with 71 wickets in 2024 at a sensational average of 14.92.

ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year 2024

Yashasvi Jaiswal (India), Ben Duckett (England), Kane Williamson (New Zealand), Joe Root (England), Harry Brook (England), Kamindu Mendis (Sri Lanka), Jamie Smith (England – Wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja (India), Pat Cummins (Australia – Captain), Matt Henry (New Zealand), Jasprit Bumrah (India)

READ: Three Pakistan players named in ICC ODI Men’s Team of the Year 2024

Australia skipper Pat Cummins admitted that the crushing first Test loss to India “hurt”, but said his team is experienced enough to learn from it and will bounce back in the remaining matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The Indian side arrived in Australia on the back of a humiliating 3-0 home series defeat to New Zealand.

Moreover, their captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Shubman Gill were not available for the first Test. In their absence, India were bundled for a meagre 150 runs in the first innings.

However, Bumrah led the team’s remarkable comeback as they booked Australia to 104 to take a 46-run lead.

India declared their second innings after posting a massive 487-6, setting Australia a mountainous 534-run target. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli struck dominant centuries to set up the mammoth total.

In response, Australia crumbled to 238 all out in the final session on day four against an inspired attack led by the irrepressible Jasprit Bumrah, who took 3-42 to claim eight wickets in the match.

“Look, I think you kind of sit in the change room after a loss like that and it hurts,” said Pat Cummins after the match. “When a team declares on you, it’s never an amazing feeling. We’ve all been in these situations before.”

“The biggest challenge and the most important thing is how do you bounce back, what’s your next move?

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“So that’s what we’ve got to do this week. Clearly, we were well off the mark, there’s a lot to work on.

“The most important thing is there’s four Test matches to come and how do we make sure that we don’t be in this position again.”

The next Test is in Adelaide next week under lights with a pink ball, a format Australia has excelled at.

Cummins said they would likely arrive in the city earlier than first thought to work on ironing out the batting and bowling issues that cost them in Perth.

But despite allrounder Mitchell Marsh carrying some niggles and Marnus Labuschagne being badly out of form, he does not expect many, if any, changes.

“I think after every Test you always kind of look at what you think your best match-up is,” he said. “Four or five days ago, we thought this was our best 11 so I dare say there won’t be many changes going into Adelaide, but I’m not a selector.”

“I’m sure they’ll get together after the game, but yeah, not to be today and we’ve got a bit of work to do over the next 10 days.”

READ: “Didn’t see him out of form”: Jasprit Bumrah hails Virat Kohli

Australia captain Pat Cummins on Thursday urged new opener Nathan McSweeney not to try and emulate swashbuckling David Warner, while admitting his team had unfinished business with India.

The uncapped McSweeney will make his Test debut in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener at Perth Stadium on Friday, parachuted in at the top of the order alongside Usman Khawaja after Warner’s retirement this year.

He has big shoes to fill and goes into the game having only opened once before at first-class level, in a warm-up Australia A match this month.

Cummins said he must be himself when he fronts a world-class Indian attack spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah on what is expected to be a fiery pitch.

“Davey [David Warner] is very hard to replace in many ways, but I think the most important thing for someone like Nath [Nathan McSweeney] coming in is to play his own game,” he said. “He doesn’t need to strike at 80 like Davey did if that’s not his game.”

Other than McSweeney, Australia has a settled side which is on a mission to win their first Test series against India in almost a decade.

Only Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Steve Smith remain from the squad that last won in Australia back in 2014-15.

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Since then they have slumped to four straight Border-Gavaskar series losses, including two at home.

“It’s kind of one of the last things to tick off for a lot of us,” Cummins told reporters of beating their big rival. “Almost every challenge that we’ve had thrown with us over the last few years we’ve stepped up and done well.”

“To do that for another year, another home summer, would kind of cement this.”

While Australia will go into the first of five Tests with their starting XI locked in, India is set for a shake-up after their devastating 3-0 home series loss to New Zealand.

Rohit Sharma will likely miss the match following the birth of his second child, with Bumrah assuming the captaincy.

Number three Shubman Gill is in doubt with an injured thumb, while the bowling line-up behind Bumrah is yet to be decided. Nevertheless, Cummins is under no illusions about the task ahead.

“There will always be pressure when you are playing at home,” he said. “We’re all excited, we know India are right up there with the best teams.”

“They are missing a couple of guys we are more familiar with, but we know that whoever they pick they will obviously think are good enough for Test cricket.”

READ: Aaqib Javed opens up on Fakhar Zaman’s potential comeback

Australia Test captain Pat Cummins recently addressed the possibility of opening batter David Warner potentially reversing his retirement decision to participate in the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The left-handed batter sent shockwaves in Australian cricket earlier this week, expressing his willingness to represent Australia again during the upcoming series against India, starting from November 22 in Perth.

However, during an interview with Code Sports, Warner shared his eagerness to take back his retirement for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, only if, the selectors show faith in him.

“I am always available, just got to pick up the phone. I am always dead serious,” said Warner. “Let’s be honest, the guys have played one red-ball game since their last Test match in February, so I’ve also had the same preparation.”

The Southpaw also expressed interest in playing in the Sheffield Shield to exhibit his form and fitness.

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“Honestly, if they need me for the series, I am more than happy to play the next Shield game and go out there and play. I retired for the right reasons, but my hand is up if they desperately need someone. I am not going to shy away from that,” he added.

Now, Pat Cummins reacted with a sarcastic take on Warner’s wish to return to the Australian squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

“Dave, we’re very interested. We’re taking it very seriously and we’ll be in touch, mate,” the Australian skipper quipped before revealing that he had spoken to David Warner days earlier on the matter.

“I did speak to Dave a couple of days ago. I can’t remember if he reached out or I did… he’s like, ‘What do you think?’, and I was like, ‘Yeah, good luck with [Sydney] Thunder and I look forward to your comments on Fox!’” Pat Cummins said.

It’s worth noting that David Warner retired from Test cricket earlier this year in front of the home crowd in Sydney during the third Test against Pakistan. He was the second-highest run-scorer in the last Test series of his career, scoring 299 runs at an average of 49.83.

READ: Cricket Australia lifts David Warner’s lifetime leadership ban

Pat Cummins, the Test and ODI captain of Australia, gave a poetic tribute to late leg-spinner Shane Warne on his 55th birth anniversary.

Warne, who is considered a spin-bowling legend, passed away on March 4 2022, after suffering a life-claiming heart attack in Thailand.

On the eve of his birthday, cricket.com.au released a heartfelt video, featuring Cummins reciting a poem. titled ‘Lightning in a Bottle: An Ode to Shane Warne,’ which was penned by Adam Burnett.

“In your mind’s eye still you see him, standing calm atop his mark. Ball in hand, it’s fizzing, as he looks around the park. He waits another heartbeat, points his fielders where to go. It’s all part of the magic act, it’s all part of the show,” Cummins recited.

“His walk begins, deliberate, it builds towards its height. He lets it go, the rest we know – has there been a better sight?”

Pat Cummins then acknowledged Warne’s place in cricket history, stating that the gentleman’s game will never be the same without him.

Happy birthday, Warnie.

A poetic tribute to the life and magic of Shane Keith Warne, as read by Australia Test captain Pat Cummins ⚡️⚡️⚡️ pic.twitter.com/PNqgIrgU7f

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) September 13, 2024

“But now it’s gone forever, our sport will never be the same. And so we ponder how to honour a true icon of the game. For where to start with Shane Keith Warne, that otherworldly gift?

“We could talk about the wicked spin, the endless flight, the drift. We could talk about the wickets and the bluster and the guile. We could talk about the character, the look, the hair, the smile.

“We could talk about charisma, a bush ballad come to life. We could talk about the dramas and the trouble and the strife. We could talk about the slider and the leg breaks and the flipper. We can contemplate a world in which he was full-time Aussie skipper.

“But single takes won’t encapsulate this giant of the sport. A Melbourne kid with cricket nous that simply can’t be taught. We’re reflecting on an icon here, Australia’s finest sprig of wattle. This is Shane Warne – the king – the lightning in a bottle.”

Credited with reviving the art of leg-spin, Warne took 708 Test wickets as part of a dominant Australian team in the 1990s and 2000s.

READ: Mohammad Abbas achieves major milestone in first-class cricket

Pakistan white-ball captain Babar Azam recently revealed that Australia’s Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins is the toughest bowler he has ever faced.

Azam appeared on former South Africa captain AB de Villiers’ official YouTube channel, where he was asked to name the toughest bowler he has ever faced.

The Pakistan captain quickly responded, “Pat Cummins.”

De Villiers also agreed with Azam, saying, “Yeah, I agree with that. He’s very close. He’s one of the toughest bowlers I have ever faced.”

It is worth noting that Cummins has dismissed Babar Azam thrice in Test cricket and only once in white-ball cricket.

The top-order batsman also mentioned that he consults with Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root to seek help in improving his batting.

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“I talk a lot to Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson and Joe Root. They are always ready to give you advice which helps you a lot. I have learned a lot from these players” he stated.

The star batter also shared that his family faced financial hardships during his childhood, but they provided him with unwavering support on his journey to success.

“I don’t come from a rich family, and we didn’t have money all the time. But my parents supported me a lot. I used to play street cricket growing up, and playing cricket with a hard ball was very difficult,” he added.

Babar Azam is currently gearing up for the upcoming two-match home Test series against Bangladesh, scheduled to be played in August.

READ: Dale Steyn hails former Pakistan pacer for best yorker in history

Australia Test captain Pat Cummins have been left out of the T20I as well as the ODI squad for the upcoming tours of England and Scotland in September.

The ODI World Champions have announced two separate squads under the white-ball captain Mitchell Marsh for the tour, featuring six T20I and five ODI matches.

The T20I squad features some fresh faces, reflecting the team’s transition following the retirement of their batting mainstay David Warner. The left-handed batter played his last match during the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024.

22-year-old opening batter Jake Fraser-McGurk has been selected in T20I and ODI squads to take the top-order slot, which Warner previously held. He has played two ODIs so far during the home series against West Indies earlier this year.

Uncapped all-rounder Cooper Connolly also earned his maiden call-up for the T20I series. He has played in only 15 T20 matches so far, scoring 226 runs with a strike rate of 145.80 and has taken six wickets at an average of 15.16.

Justifying his selection despite playing few games at the domestic level, the national selector George Bailey said, “We haven’t had that many bolters for a little while.”

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“He’s an exciting young talent. Hasn’t played a great many games yet, but we really like his versatility. His work through the middle order for the Scorchers has been really impressive.

“Handy left-arm spin as well which, as a secondary skill, is something we are really keen to keep exploring and see where that goes with his cricket.”

Moreover, Pat Cummins has been rested for the complete tour to manage his workload ahead of the home summer. Meanwhile, Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell are set to play in only ODI series against England.

“He’s got a couple of things he wants to work on physically,” Bailey said. “He’s had a lot of cricket over the past period, and this is an opportunity to get on top of those and set him up for the next period of time; it’s more a management of that.”

Ashton Agar and Matthew Wade, who were part of Australia’s T20 World Cup squad, have been dropped. Josh Inglis will serve as the wicketkeeper in T20I series, while Alex Carey will continue to keep in ODIs.

Australia T20I squad vs Scotland and England

Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Spencer Johnson, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Australia ODI squad vs England

Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis (wk), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

READ: Former India cricketer challenges Pakistan over Champions Trophy hosting

KINGSTOWN: Australia’s right-arm pacer Pat Cummins on Saturday, etched his name in the record books as he became the first player to claim a hat-trick in two consecutive matches in T20I history.

Cummins achieved the coveted milestone in Australia’s Super Eight match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 against Afghanistan at Arnos Vale Ground here.

He struck on the last ball of his third over to remove Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan (2) before dismissing Karim Janat (13) and Gulbadin Naib (0) on the first two deliveries of his final over.

The star bowler achieved a similar feat in Australia’s first Super Eight match against Bangladesh, taking his first-ever hat-trick.

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Pat Cummins is only the second Australian to take a hat-trick in a Men’s T20 World Cup after the legendary pacer Brett Lee, who achieved the feat in the inaugural edition against Bangladesh.

Pat Cummins admits that even taking the first hat-trick of the T20 World Cup may not save him from the axe when Australia tackle Afghanistan in their next Super Eights clash.

The veteran fast bowler became just the seventh man to claim a hat-trick in the history of the tournament in the rain-hit win over Bangladesh on Thursday.

However, Saturday’s clash with Afghanistan is taking place on the spin-friendly wicket of Kingstown in St Vincent.

That could mean Cummins, Josh Hazlewood or Mitchell Starc might sit out the game in favour of another slow bowler.

“Yes, potentially. We’ve been pretty open with that, that anyone in the squad’s ready to play and the bowling line-up might change at different times,” said Cummins who has played in three of his team’s five games so far.

“It’s got to be adaptable. We feel like we’ve got all bases covered. So yeah, we’ll rock up there. And I mean, the best thing of all this is I’m not captain or selector or anything, so I just turn up and have no worries.”

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Australia played just one frontline fast bowler in the first-round T20 World Cup 2024 win over Scotland with Adam Zampa, Glenn Maxwell as Ashton Agar providing spin options.

In the victory over England, Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood all played just as they did against Bangladesh.

Starc sat out the match against Namibia with Cummins and Hazlewood getting the nod.

Pat Cummins said he had been unaware he was on a hat-trick in the game against Bangladesh.

After removing Mahmudullah and Mahedi Hasan, his hat-trick ball was the first delivery of his next over when he had Towhid Hridoy caught at fine leg.

“I didn’t know I was on a hat-trick. I did the previous over, I saw it come up on the screen and by the time my next over came around I totally forgot about it,” said Cummins.

“So, I think Marcus Stoinis ran in from the deep, was cheering and I was like, oh yeah, forgot about that. So, yeah, nice one.”

READ: Ricky Ponting presents Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy to Pat Cummins

ANTIGUA: Australia’s right-arm pacer Pat Cummins on Thursday, etched his name in an elusive list of bowlers to claim a hat-trick in an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match.

Cummins achieved the milestone in Australia’s Super Eight bout against Bangladesh at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium here.

He claimed two wickets — Mahmudullah (2) and Mahedi Hasan (0) — on the last two deliveries of his third over before striking on the first delivery of his final over, getting rid of Bangladesh’s batting mainstay Towhid Hridoy (40).

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Consequently, Pat Cummins became only the second Australian to take a hat-trick in a Men’s T20 World Cup, joining legendary pacer Brett Lee, who achieved the feat in the inaugural edition against the same opposition.

Overall, he joined an illustrious group of just seven players to have taken a hat-trick at a Men’s T20 World Cup.

Players to take a hat-trick in Men’s T20 World Cup

Pat Cummins (Australia) 2024 vs Bangladesh
Josh Little (Ireland) 2022 vs New Zealand
Karthik Meiyappan (UAE) 2022 vs Sri Lanka
Kagiso Rabada (South Africa) 2021 vs England
Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka) 2021 vs South Africa
Curtis Campher (Ireland) 2021 vs Netherlands
Brett Lee (Australia) 2007 vs Bangladesh

Reacting to his hat-trick, Cummins shared that he had no idea until he saw it coming up on the big screen.

“I had no idea (on the hat-trick), then saw when it came up on the screen. Set batter in, playing the innings, you never know how it’ll go about, so that was a big wicket (on Hridoy’s wicket) and happy to have restricted them,” Cummins shared.

The right-arm pacer was elated with Australia’s comfortable victory over Bangladesh in the Super Eight stage of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 and also opened up on the team’s bench strength, which features Nathan Ellis and Ashton Agar.

“Agar and Ellis have been on the bench for us, that shows the depth we have in the bowling unit. Fairly polished performance, the goal was to win and we did well with the run-rate, we’ll need to continue with the momentum going ahead in the Super 8s,” he added.

READ: Ricky Ponting presents Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy to Pat Cummins