Pat Cummins the leader 'getting better' with every game ahead of crunch summer

Pat Cummins guided Australia to a remarkable victory in the recently concluded ODI World Cup, dispelling any doubts about his captaincy abilities. Reflecting on the triumph, the 30-year-old shared that he is still on a high and buzzing. 

Cummins' strategic decision to bowl first in the tournament final against India raised some eyebrows, but as the match went ahead in Ahmedabad, it became clear that the Aussie skipper had produced a masterstroke. The slow pace in the first innings and subsequent acceleration due to dew showcased Cummins' astuteness as a captain.

"Still on a high, still waking up every morning buzzing. It's a career highlight for sure," Cummins said on Tuesday as quoted by cricket.com.au.

"I definitely get better with captaincy every game, absolutely. You learn so much in your wins, and even more so in your losses. No doubt I'm getting better," Cummins added, highlighting his continuous growth in the role.

Teammate and his partner in crime, Mitchell Starc also praised Cummins, stating, "He's been phenomenal – the last few months have spoken to that." Starc acknowledged the captain's resilience in the face of criticism, emphasizing that Cummins was unfazed by external opinions.

"He certainly had his critics. There's an opinion that (the captaincy) has to be done a certain way (but) Pat's never been fazed by that or outside noise. A lot of (Australia's success) has to do with the way Pat captained through the World Cup, particularly that last game. Things were done differently and bravely, and we're standing here with the trophy," Starc added.

We're fully fit. We won't be rested: Cummins

Looking ahead, Cummins and Starc expressed their commitment to the upcoming Test series against Pakistan, dispelling any notions of rest. Cummins said, "The words 'rested' and 'rotated' get thrown around a lot, but you never miss Test cricket fully fit."

As Australia navigates a busy 2023 with tours of India, the World Test Championship final, an away Ashes series, and the 50-over World Cup, Cummins remains resolute and said that they won't be rested.

"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," he concluded.