Resilient Pat Cummins says backlash from Justin Langer axing made him stronger as Australia captain explains why getting called ‘gutless’ was a ‘good learning experience’
- Australia’s Test skipper was called ‘gutless’ over Justin Langer’s departure
- Cummins was heavily criticised by past greats of the game Down Under
- Now Cummins says the torrid time has helped him grow as a captain
Australian skipper Pat Cummins admits he has learned some hard lessons in the wake of the departure of former coach Justin Langer as the Aussies prepare for the third and decisive Test against Pakistan in Lahore on March 21.
Australia’s captain Pat Cummins celebrates with teammates after dismssing Pakistan’s Fawad Alam during the fifth and final day of the second Test cricket match in Karachi.
Cummins made history to become the first pace bowler to captain the Australian Test team aside from a one-off cameo from Ray Lindwall in 1956.
However, his mettle was quickly tested when Test legend Langer resigned from his post after Cricket Australia refused to back him beyond the upcoming home T20 World Cup.
‘If media reports are correct, several senior players and a couple of support staff don’t support me moving forward, and it is now apparent the CA board … are also keen to see the team move in another direction. I respect that decision,’ Langer said via email in his resignation.
That prompted a wave of backlash against Cummins and the senior players in the Australian team, with former pace bowler Mitchell Johnson labelling Cummins ‘disrespectful’ and ‘gutless’.
Johnson added the Test skipper had ‘failed his first big test as captain pretty miserably’.
A host of former players lined up to defend Langer with former spinner Brad Hogg saying the West Australian had suffered ‘disgraceful treatment’.
Langer’s former Test opening partner Matthew Hayden also came at Cummins from the back fence.
‘And now we hear Pat Cummins saying, “This is a high-performance environment, we all go through a high performance review”. I’m sorry Pat but that’s garbage … this just reeks of being orchestrated,’ he said.
Cummins has been handed a number of challenges in his short tenure as Australian Test captain including the resignation of Langer and a challenging and historic tour of Pakistan.
Now, as the Aussies prepare to battle the Pakistan Test side for a 1-0 series victory, Cummins has opened up on how the Langer firestorm impacted him as a person and as a captain.
‘I don’t think it was a pleasant situation for anyone, to be honest, but in terms of what I could have done differently – I’m not quite sure,’ Cummins said.
‘I’m not a decision-maker. I think I was probably perceived to have a bigger part in that as a captain than [the reality of] just giving feedback [from his players].
‘I hadn’t copped too much bad press before, so I think it was a really good learning experience.
‘If you try and spend your life looking to please everyone, you please no one.
‘It gave me clarity on what my role is and that is to try and do what’s best for our team and our environment, but also what I think is best for Australian cricket.
‘It really strengthened my beliefs in what I think is right and who I should listen to and it made me think of where my responsibilities lie.’
Former Australian Test cricket player and coach Justin Langer pictured during an Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Presentation at the MCG. He has since resigned at Test coach.
Meanwhile Pakistan’s marathon batting defence in the drawn second Test match against Australia has raised the hopes of head coach Saqlain Mushtaq ahead of the series decider.
Australia´s first tour to Pakistan since 1998 started off with a tame drawn first test at Rawalpindi where the Pindi Cricket Stadium was rated as ‘below average’ by the ICC. But the second Test was a thriller and now Saqlain said the epic draw had increased the confidence of Pakistan to surprise Australia.
‘Before this series our mission was to beat Australia and win the series,’ Saqlain said. ‘It´s not that we are just saying it, we will try our best and produce a result in our favor in Lahore.’
Following the Test series the two nations will do battle in limited overs cricket with all matches now to be held in Lahore on the advice of the government.
On Friday, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, the minister of interior, announced the three ODIs and one Twenty20 match will be played in Lahore instead of Rawalpindi.
‘Due to political activities and scenarios we have decided it would be better to have the matches in Lahore as there will be a lot of movement and activities in Islamabad and Pindi during the time frame the matches are scheduled,’ he said.
The ODIs are scheduled to be held on March 29, 31 and April 2 followed by the T20 on April 4.
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