'Selectors have been really clear that I'm a bowler first in that team' - Pat Cummins prioritizes longevity over leadership ahead of WC

On Day 3 of the fourth Ashes Test in Manchester, former Australia cricketer Glenn McGrath pointed out that Pat Cummins looks mentally tired and hence, the visiting team is not being able to capitalize. He also added saying that it was always on the cards as he expected something similar when Cricket Australia appointed a pacer to be the Test captain of the side. Since then, the matter only escalated, especially because the Kangaroos looked really poor in the fourth Test and were on the verge of defeat.

Meanwhile, ahead of the ODI World Cup, these are worrying signs as the team management would expect Cummins to stay completely fit to lead the team in India. Previously, the skipper clarified that he will not be playing all the ODI matches in order to keep himself fit and since then, he led Australia only on two occasions in ODI cricket while Josh Hazlewood led once and Steven Smith was in charge of the series against India.

Hence, Cummins’ workload management is currently under the scanner. Speaking about the same, the 29-year-old stated that the selectors have clarified that he is a bowler first and then the leader of the pack. Thus, the cricketer is planning to take some time off during the series against South Africa and India, in order to stay fit as he also believes that the team has quality seniors who can lead in his absence.

“I know the selectors have been really clear that I'm a bowler first in that team. So if we need to manage some of those games leading into the World Cup that takes precedence over the continuity of being captain every single game. We'll manage that, but there's a great team around us of players and staff so while I'm the captain and it's a bigger workload it's manageable,” Cummins was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

Meanwhile, selector George Bailey too believes in the same and stated that there are experienced campaigners in the national squad who can help Cummins out as the cricketer aims for longevity over leadership.