‘No doubt I'm getting better’: Confident Pat Cummins throws weight behind his captaincy prowess post World Cup triumph

Pat Cummins is confident that his captaincy skills have improved, having successfully led Australia to their sixth ODI World Cup title. Despite being the top fast bowler globally with an impressive record, Cummins faced doubt due to his limited captaincy experience, especially in ODIs. Prior to the 2023 World Cup, he had only captained Australia in two ODI matches.

Doubts about his leadership grew when Australia suffered defeats in the first two World Cup games, placing them at the bottom of the points table. Critics closely examined his tactical choices, including the decision to bring in spin early in a match against India despite the dominance of his pacers, and his perceived underutilization of himself as a bowler in the initial overs.

However, he successfully overcame these challenges, guiding Australia to their sixth World Cup title and proving his ability to captain effectively under pressure.

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Pundits highly commended Cummins' captaincy in the final as he was able to hold down a free-scoring Indian side and also claimed the crucial wicket of Virat Kohli in Ahmedabad.

Speaking after bringing the World Cup trophy to the SCG on November 28, the Australian skipper expressed that the victory over India in the final was a standout moment in his career. He believes that his captaincy is improving with each game.

"Still on a high, still waking up every morning buzzing. It's a career highlight for sure," said Cummins.

"I definitely get better with captaincy every game, absolutely”, he continued.

"You learn so much in your wins, and even more so in your losses. No doubt I'm getting better."

Cummins, who also had Mitchell Starc alongside him at the event on November 28, said that they have no intentions of resting ahead of the upcoming Test series against Pakistan, despite a busy schedule in 2023.

"The words 'rested' and 'rotated' get thrown around a lot, but you never miss Test cricket fully fit," Cummins said.

"Whilst the last couple of years we might've been rested from the odd game, the bulk of work we've been able to do is because of those smaller gaps.
"We're fully fit. We won't be rested”, the Aussie captain concluded.

(Powered by AI, Inputs by India Today)

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