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Veteran Australian pacer Mitchell Starc expressed satisfaction at having a fellow pace bowler assume the captaincy and achieve remarkable success in a short span of time. In a rare move, Australia appointed Pat Cummins as captain for both Tests and ODIs. Within just a couple of years, Cummins played a crucial role in Australia retaining the Ashes in England, winning the World Test Championship final, and securing the World Cup 2023 trophy in India.
During the final in Ahmedabad, Cummins showcased brilliance as Australia halted the seemingly invincible Indian team. His performance with the ball, claiming key wickets like Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer, coupled with astute tactics, strategic bowling changes, and effective field placements, demonstrated Cummins' excellence on the big stage.
Cummins joined a select group of Australian men's team captains by raising the ODI World Cup trophy, marking Australia's sixth title in history.
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It was not a smooth ride for Cummins, who faced a wave of criticism at the beginning of the World Cup 2023. Doubts arose about his captaincy skills in the shorter format, given his limited experience of leading the national side in just four games before the tournament. The pressure escalated following Australia's disappointing defeats to India and South Africa early in the competition, leading some pundits to advocate for his replacement.
Highlighting Cummins's captaincy approach, Starc said that the fast bowler wasn't hesitant to embrace a unique perspective and adopt an unconventional approach in leading the esteemed Australian side.
"He (Cummins) has been phenomenal – the last few months have spoken to that, "He certainly had his critics. There's an opinion that (the captaincy) has to be done a certain way (but) Pat's never been fazed by that or outside noise. A lot of (Australia's success) has to do with the way Pat captained through the World Cup, particularly that last game.
"Things were done differently and bravely, and we're standing here with the trophy," Starc said while holding the trophy alongside Cummins at the Sydney Cricket Ground on November 28.
The World Cup triumph symbolised a monumental year for Cummins, who faced both personal and professional challenges, including the loss of his mother during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series in India. Opting to forego the lucrative IPL season to prioritise international duties proved to be a wise decision, as he successfully led Australia to victory on cricket's grandest stage. Ricky Ponting, an esteemed predecessor, commended Cummins for his "almost faultless" captaincy performance in the final, solidifying his reputation as a leader capable of inspiring and guiding his team to victory against formidable odds.
(Powered by AI, Inputs by India Today)
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