Cricket News By TODAYLIVESCORE.INFO - Won't get caught up in too many grand plans: Cummins. "We won't be getting caught up in too many grand plans or changing too much of what we do for certain players. We've got a few ideas, but I don't think you'll see too different to what we normally do."
"We won't be getting caught up in too many grand plans or changing too much of what we do for certain players. We've got a few ideas, but I don't think you'll see too different to what we normally do."
On the eve of the first Ashes Test in Brisbane, Australia's newly-appointed skipper Pat Cummins was in his element. He had a strong and consistent message for his team – to focus on performing and using their skills to the best of their ability than worry about the opposition with Australia playing their first Test since January this year due to COVID-19.
“We'll be concentrating on what we do really well,” Cummins said on Tuesday (December 7). “We won't be getting caught up in too many grand plans or changing too much of what we do for certain players. We've got a few ideas, but I don't think you'll see too different to what we normally do.”
Cummins has a stellar record at the Gabba, with more than 25 wickets averaging 17.92. He wants to, however, stay relaxed and create a similar environment for the team as he believes it is when he plays his best cricket. This is not his first taste of leadership, though, being Aaron Finch's deputy in white-ball cricket for a while now, more recently at the T20 WC that Australia were crowned champions.
“I've really enjoyed being vice-captain under ‘Finchy' the last two or three years,” said Cummins. “I think the environment we created in the World Cup is a blueprint. It's slightly different, T20s and Test cricket, (and) the demands, but I think the relaxed environment, empowering everyone to do it their own way (is the same). I think most people play their best when they're relaxed and focused.
“‘JL' (Langer) has been great. He's certainly still head coach, but I think the environment that he creates not only for the players, but the coaches around him, really empowers them. It's in some ways taking a step back and letting the players really dictate the environment they want. It worked incredibly well over in the World Cup, and he has huge credit to do with that, and hopefully, it continues for this summer. He's been great so far. They're great lessons we learned over in the World Cup that work, and we'd like to continue that on.
“I look around our team and we've got a pretty special side,” he said. We've got some of the greats of all time of Australian cricket in our changing room and when you get most of them clicking we're going to be a pretty tough team to beat. We get along really well and have a lot of fun, so hopefully a tight-knit group. We are enjoying our cricket and we're relentless when we have our chance to play,” he added.
The first Ashes Test is scheduled to be played between December 8 and 12.
