Sydney [Australia], January 5: Pat Cummins’ status as one of Australia’s modern-day cricketing greats was further cemented with his side’s victory in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India on Sunday, adding yet another prestigious trophy to his growing collection. The moment debutant Beau Webster struck the winning runs, a wave of relief swept over millions of Australians, both in the stadium and watching from home, as the Border-Gavaskar Trophy returned to Australia after a 10-year hiatus.
For the last decade, the prestigious trophy had stayed with India following two fiercely contested series, both at home and away. India’s remarkable 2020-21 series win, led by Ajinkya Rahane, is remembered as one of cricket’s most inspiring chapters, with India overcoming the traumatic ’36 all-out’ defeat in the first Test, along with the absence of key players like Virat Kohli, who was away for the birth of his child.
However, in this most recent series, Cummins delivered a performance that showcased his brilliance as both a captain and a player. His leadership and tactical acumen were evident as he helped Australia reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, avenging the two home losses to India with a series win of his own. Cummins not only ended the series as Australia’s top wicket-taker with 25 scalps at an impressive average of 21.36 (including a five-wicket haul), but also contributed 159 vital runs, including valuable knocks of 49 and 41 in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne.
Since taking over the Test captaincy in 2021 and subsequently the ODI captaincy in 2022, Cummins’ trajectory has been nothing short of upward. Under his leadership, Australia retained the Ashes with a 2-2 series draw in England, triumphed over India in the ICC World Test Championship final, and defeated them in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. His latest success in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy marks the end of India’s decade-long dominance in Test cricket.
Cummins’ impact on the field is remarkable. During the Ashes, he took 18 wickets (fourth-highest) at an average of 37.72, with his best performance being 6/91, while contributing 162 runs across nine innings. In the ICC World Test Championship final, he took four wickets, including a match-changing 3/83 in the first innings, where he dismissed India’s captain Rohit Sharma and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane. In the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, Cummins impressed with 15 wickets at an average of 34.33, including key spells like his 2/34 in the final, where he also removed Virat Kohli. With the bat, he contributed 128 runs at an average of 32.00, including a composed knock of 12* from 68 balls to support Glenn Maxwell’s match-winning 201* against Afghanistan.
In the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Cummins once again showed his ability to deliver when it mattered most, frustrating Indian bowlers with his resilience and taking key wickets at crucial junctures.
Is Pat Cummins now a contender for the title of one of Australia’s all-time cricketing legends? Only time will tell.