What makes Pat Cummins so special? He’s not just another blonde, handsome Australian cricketer who plays for New South Wales domestically. While he might not be the absolute best bowler in the T20 format, his overall impact goes beyond pure bowling skill. There’s something truly special about him.
His leadership style is a prototype for anyone aspiring to be a leader in any sport. It’s not about aggression, an insatiable appetite for winning at all costs, or micromanaging every player. Some leaders try to exert control by constantly barking orders, but Pat Cummins is different.
He’s an old-school student of the game. If you observe closely, you’ll see that his leadership style remains consistent across different formats. He leads the team in a similar manner, regardless of the match situation.
What makes Pat Cummins a successful leader?
To clearly put things into perspective, consider this: Even if Hyderabad is defending a meager 22 runs in the last 18 overs, Pat Cummins will be seen making all the bowling changes, trying to find a way to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Any other captain might lose control in desperation in that kind of situation, but Cummins remains bold and calm.
That’s how he likes to lead regardless of the situation. He maintains a positive attitude and avoids excessive celebration. He’s a believer in simple plans, focusing on clear communication and flawless execution. So, what truly happens in tricky situations? Take, for example, when Yashasvi Jaiswal was batting against Shahbaz Ahmed.
It seemed heavily in the batsman’s favor – a left-arm bowler bowling to a left-handed batsman known for his powerful strokes. However, Cummins understood that there was no room for complacency, and the dry pitch would definitely favor the bowler. One mistimed shot on the large Chepauk ground could create a wicket-taking opportunity.
It turned out exactly as he anticipated. He immediately brought Abhishek Sharma into the attack because the pitch offered some assistance to spinners. It was also clear that the batters were likely to target Abhishek Sharma, as he might not be the ideal bowler for a knockout game.
That’s why Cummins chose to prioritize taking wickets rather than trying to conserve overs by using a more established bowler. It was a high-pressure situation demanding a decisive call.
Leadership and the Australian Approach
This decisive approach is definitely a characteristic of Australian leaders throughout history. It’s particularly noteworthy in India, where so much is demanded from a leader by the BCCI. However, leadership isn’t necessarily seen as a primary quality there. For them, exceptional batting and bowling skills take precedence, sometimes neglecting the importance of game awareness.
It’s not going to work every time
Sports are unpredictable, and everyone knows that one plan or set of leadership rules won’t work in every game. Sometimes losses happen, and that’s more of a testing phase for the leader than for the team.
Hyderabad lost many matches, and there were bad comments from those who didn’t react as if the team was going down. He remained unfazed by the losses Hyderabad suffered. Regardless, whenever we saw Hyderabad playing the next match, they showed that they could instantly fix what went wrong in the previous match.
Because the captain is always the first to panic, the rest of the team follows suit. This happened with Rajasthan Royals when Samson completely changed his leadership and batting style after losing three matches in a row. That’s where everything went wrong for Rajasthan Royals.
