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Opinion
Cricketers don’t get back to the Test arena after more than five years fighting back injuries unless they’re made of stern stuff.
Pat Cummins is the strong leader the Australian men’s side needs and he proved that again on Tuesday when he didn’t back down when confronted by questions about Justin Langer, the team’s fractured support and supposedly “woke” players standing up for causes they believe in.
Just like he did in February after Langer’s abrupt departure, Cummins didn’t take a backward step as he politely and confidently stood by his views without flinching as the media scrum pushed and prodded.
“There are no cowards in an Australian cricket team. Not ever. I thank Justin for clarifying his remarks afterwards. I think he had a think about it and clarified it,” Cummins said when asked about Langer’s inflammatory podcast comments and subsequent clarification/backdown/backflip.
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“We’re really proud of the last 12 months, how we’ve fronted up, the way we’ve played, the way we’ve conducted ourselves so the players can certainly hold their heads high.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
“I will never disclose private conversations but you’d have to ask Justin. There was no ill will to what he was trying to do.”
If the media were not going to be able to goad Cummins into breaking from his boy-next-door smile with the Langer topic, perhaps he’d get hot under the collar if cajoled into the topic of him and some senior players being “too woke” after they had expressed some views on Australian cricket’s sponsors, not calling for any contracts to be torn up as some would have you believe.
Again, he was unflustered.
“I think in this position you’re always going to upset people no matter whether you do or don’t do something,” he said.
“That’s fine. I know what I signed up for but I also think we’re cricket players but you can’t leave your values at the door. People stand for different things.
“Taking a knee this week, we’re doing it for the West Indies, supporting equality. Anyone who says that’s a bad thing, I’m not too bothered about.”
Isn’t that what we want from the national leader? Of the cricket team, not just the Prime Minister. Someone who will stand by their convictions because they think it’s right, irrespective of whether it’s going to upset a noisy minority.
A poor crowd is likely for Wednesday’s first Test against the West Indies at Perth’s Optus Stadium.
All sorts of reasons will be proffered for the expected attendance around the 10,000 mark at a stadium which holds six times that amount.
Depending on your point of view it could be a backlash from parochial West Australians about the treatment of their man Langer, the public disapproving of players being outspoken on issues outside their “area of expertise”, the crowded cricket calendar, the quality of the opposition, the weather, whatever.
The fact is Perth has traditionally been a city that has rarely filled the WACA Ground over the decades and that lukewarm love for cricket has translated to the new arena.
(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Adelaide is a clear third when it comes to cricket support among Australia’s major cities behind Melbourne and Sydney whereas Perth and Brisbane crowds have remained relatively modest despite both cities undergoing major population growth over the past couple of generations.
While he was unperturbed about answering questions on off-field topics, Cummins said it was a shame that the focus was not on the team’s recent success which has them atop the Test rankings and on track to claim that championship trophy next year.
“I feel like there’s so many good things going on at the moment, especially this Test team (being) No.1 in the world.
“It’s disappointing sometimes the focus gets drawn to off-field issues but it hasn’t really affected our team.
“I know there’s been some conjecture but I think it camouflages over a lot of the good stuff that’s been going on, the support we’ve been receiving.”
It is no coincidence that when the Australian cricket team has dominated the international arena, it has had a leader with a steadfast demeanour who has also been a superstar on an individual level.
From cricket’s greatest star of all, Don Bradman to Bob Simpson, the Chappell brothers, Allan Border, Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh, Michael Clarke and Steve Smith were all world-class batters before becoming skipper.
Steve Waugh. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Cummins is Test cricket’s top-ranked bowler and has been since 2019.
In fact there are only two active Test cricketers who also appear on the ICC’s all-time rankings – Cummins, who is equal fifth alongside Glenn McGrath and Smith, whose batting feats place him second only to Bradman.
Tim Paine was a very fine wicketkeeper but was not the dominant player that Australian cricket expects from the captain.
Cummins, at 29, is still in the prime of his career and due to the time he missed in his early 20s when stress fractures cost him several seasons, he may be able to perform as a top-level seamer well into his 30s.
On the captaincy front, he should be at the helm for at least another three or four years which would give Cricket Australia plenty of time to build a succession plan for an heir like Cameron Green to take over.