Ashish Ranjan
Former England captain Nasser Hussain lauded Australian captain Pat Cummins, who led his side from the front, scored the winning runs, and led his team to a magnificent victory over the hosts in the first Test of the ongoing Ashes 2023. England gave the visitors a difficult time after setting a target of 281 runs, but Australia won by two wickets to take the lead.
Pat Cummins played an outstanding innings under duress on Day 5 of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston on Tuesday, June 20. Cummins performed admirably with the bat and the ball throughout the entire five-day match. In England’s second innings, he took four wickets after scoring 38 runs in the first.
But on the final day, Cummins unleashed his finest team, carrying Australia to victory from a position of 227/8. Cummins scored 44 runs without being out, while Nathan Lyon ably assisted him with 16 runs without being out. The pair’s 55-run partnership for the ninth wicket contributed to the World Test Champions’ victory. Hussain praised Pat Cummins’s efforts in his Daily Mail column, as he stated:
“His ability to persevere when England played as they did, with Joe Root scooping him and him having to establish fields to counteract it, was a testament to his character and cricketing ability. The criticism he received for employing defensive fields, his ability to absorb it all, and then come out on the fifth evening with 72 runs required and bat so clinically was exceptional.”
“His timing was impeccable, and when England were on their knees, he pounced with a pair of sixes off Joe Root. When men were placed out for the hook and his ribcage were the target, he shifted out of the way. He was so cool and collected under enormous duress,” he continued.
If Australia had lost, his leadership would have been questioned by all. Hussain
The 55-year-old claimed that Cummins almost always made the correct choice, knowing when to take it leisurely and when to push himself. When discussing Cummins’ leadership, he stated that the Australian captain’s strategy would have been criticized if the visitors had lost. Hussain elaborated on the same point by writing:
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“If Australia had lost, everyone would have questioned his defensive tactics and leadership as captain. He triumphs, and his strategy was brilliant. This is essentially international captaincy: if you succeed, you’re held accountable for your decisions, and if you lose, you’re criticized for them.
