With Australia gearing up for the highly anticipated Ashes opener against England in Perth on November 21, uncertainty looms over the availability of Test captain Pat Cummins. The pace spearhead is still in rehabilitation for a lower back “hot spot” and hasn’t bowled since his last appearance in Australia’s Test series against the West Indies in July.
As doubts grow around Cummins’ readiness, veteran pacer Mitchell Starc has suggested that if needed, Steve Smith is the ideal candidate to lead the side in Cummins’ absence.
Cummins is yet to receive clearance to resume bowling, and Cricket Australia has remained tight-lipped about his recovery timeline. Despite that, Starc believes his skipper is capable of hitting the ground running – with minimal preparation.
“Playing with Pat and being close with Pat, he doesn’t need much. Whether he bowls three warm-up balls and the first over of the game, he’s on the money; he just knows when to switch on or how to switch on really quickly,” Starc told ESPNcricinfo.
“So what it looks like for him in his prep, it’s going to be certainly different to what mine feels and looks like, and that comes with experience and age.”
However, with just six weeks to go, time may not be on Cummins’ side. If he’s ruled out of the Perth Test, Australia would need to appoint a stand-in captain and Starc made no hesitation in endorsing former skipper Steve Smith.
“We’ve got a group of us that have played cricket with Steve as captain, anyway,” Starc said.
“And then the times that he’s filled in over the last few seasons for Pat, whether it be for personal reasons, for illness or for injury – it’s an easy transition for Steve. He’s obviously a very experienced cricket brain and thinks heavily about the game.”
Smith, who has captained Australia in 40 Tests, remains one of the most experienced leaders in world cricket. His tactical awareness, calm under pressure, and ability to step in seamlessly have made him the natural deputy to Cummins since the leadership change.
Meanwhile, Starc himself is on the comeback trail after a break following the Caribbean tour. He is set to feature in New South Wales’ Sheffield Shield clash against Victoria from November 10-13, using it as key preparation before the Ashes.
“He’s (Cummins) in good spirits. He’s ultra-positive as always, and there are still some weeks to go before we get to Perth for the Test prep,” Starc added.
“Hopefully, we see a lot of him through the summer, and we’ll see where we get to in Perth.”
Whether Cummins leads the charge or not, Australia appears to have a robust leadership group in place and if required, Steve Smith seems poised to step up once again.
