Australia suffered back-to-back defeats at the hands of India in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series to trail the four-match Test series 0-2. The Pat Cummins-led side lost the first match by an innings and 132 runs and then followed it up with six wicket hammering in Delhi Test.
Meanwhile, Australia's legendary wicketkeeper-batter Ian Healy wants Australia skipper Cummins to give up captaincy as he doesn't want him to carry the burden of captaincy for too long as the high-pressure job might lead to a burnout. The 58-year-old wants to see the star Australian star speedster to concentrate more on his bowling and bid adieu to his career as a fast bowler solely instead of captain.
"I don't want him carrying the burden of so much captaincy for too long. I want him to finish (as just a bowler)," Healy said on Sen Radio. The captaincy creates a burnout and four to five years is a long time as a captain," Healy said.
Cummins has been captaining the Kangaroos team in Tests since November 2021 and took over as ODI skipper late last year. He could also be seen leading the Australian side in T20Is.
Before the ongoing Border Gavaskar series 2023, Cummins had lost just one match as Test captain. But he had to suffer defeats in the successive Tests in India with two matches to spare.
"He's done a few years (as Test captain) already, now he's adding (short-form captaincy) to his thought processes at a time when he's dealing with some sort of family illness back home. So yeah, I would like to see him finish his career as a tearaway fast bowler and someone else with the captaincy burden." Healy picked Travis Head and Glenn Maxwell as Cummins' successor. I think Travis Head is quite capable. He's led South Australia since he was a 21-year-old, he's quite capable and has got a lot of experience," Healy said.
"He's the main one that stands out to me. The likes of Glenn Maxwell might be able to do parts of it (in the short form), but as far as longer-term captaincy prospects other than Travis Head, I can't think (of any)," he further added.
Notably, Cummins has been ruled out from the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar series against India. Cummins, who had flown back to Australia after the completion of the second Test match in Delhi due to his mother being “ill and in palliative care”, will not return to India for Indore Test.
"I have decided against returning to India at this time," said Cummins.
"I feel I am best being here with my family.
“I appreciate the overwhelming support I have received from Cricket Australia and my teammates. Thanks for your understanding,” he added.
The Aussie captain is not ruled out from the fourth Test but is likely to remain in Australia for an elongated period of time.
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