'He doesn’t shy away from making big statements' - Tim Paine on Darren Berry's claims of Pat Cummins stepping down as skipper

Australian skipper Pat Cummins has surely performed his role well, as the Aussies have been able to retain the Ashes for the fourth consecutive time after avoiding defeat in the series. Although Cummins looked exhausted in the fourth Test, there have been many speculations about him stepping down from this role. Former Australian skipper Tim Paine totally wrote off this news about Cummins stepping down from captaincy. 

However, the 30-year-old pacer has been leading the side since November 2021 and in his tenure, the side lifted the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 trophy. Cummins was made captain after Paine stepped down from captaincy because of the sexting scandal. 

Interestingly, Paine thinks both Cummins and Mitchell Starc look tired after the fourth Test, so their fitness will be crucial going forward into the fifth game. There has been a lot of talk on social media about Cummins’ fitness and former Victorian cricketer Darren Berry claimed the Australian speedster will step down from captaincy after this series. 

“Here is my take Pat Cummins is a magnificent cricketer no doubt but remember this msg. He will resign from the captaincy after the Ashes series. The Q is do they go back to Smudge or move forward to Head or Marsh? Ashton Turner T20,” Berry had tweeted. 

Interestingly, Cummins has played in all the Australian Tests since the 2023 WTC Final, but before that, he didn’t feature for the last two Tests of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2023 in India due to family commitments. Starc, on the other hand, suffered an injury during the fourth Ashes Test.

“He (Berry) doesn’t shy away from making big statements, ‘Chuck’. Unless he’s got some sort of inside mail from Pat himself, or people very close to him, it is a strange comment. Maybe he’s looking at Pat thinking he’s tired, maybe his read on it is he (Cummins) doesn’t want to do it. I don’t think that’s correct, I know it’s not correct. I’d be staggered if he steps down," said Paine on SEN Tassie Breakfast. 

Pat Cummins will be looking to win the series by ensuring a win or draw at Oval Test

At the Manchester Test of Ashes 2023, Cummins recorded his worst bowling figure of an innings in a Test; his figure was 129/1 in 23 overs. It is most likely that the Australian skipper will take a rest after the fifth and final Test gets over, but it is unlikely that he will miss the last game at The Oval because the visitors will be looking to ensure a victory in the series.