These factors make Pat Cummins a special skipper
What's the story
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Eliminator will see Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. The match is scheduled to start at 7:30pm IST on Wednesday. Eyes will be on Pat Cummins, who has done a phenomenal job as SRH skipper this season. Here, we look at the factors that make him a special skipper.
Approach
Cummins has a crystal clear approach
SRH have been a force to reckon with after naming Pat Cummins as their skipper ahead of the 2024 season. The appointment saw a change in SRH's approach, as the batters were backed to attack come what may. The team did wonders that year and finished as runners-up. Under Cummins's captaincy, SRH have also been in good form this season, winning five of their last seven matches. Notably, the Australian pacer missed the initial half of IPL 2026 due to fitness issues.
Statement
Here's what Abhishek said about Cummins
Under Cummins's leadership, Abhishek Sharma emerged as one of the most destructive T20 openers going around. In an interaction on Breakfast with Champions show last year, Abhishek shed light on his leadership. "Cummins told us, 'In this team, even if we are 50 for the loss of six wickets, the 7th batter should not feel the pressure.' I am fine with the team being 100 all out, but I don't want safe scores of 160 or 170," said the southpaw.
Self-belief
When going gets tough, Cummins gets going
Cummins's ability to hold the head high amid tough circumstances makes him one of a kind. Under his captaincy, Australia lost their first two matches in the 2023 ODI World Cup. While many wrote the Men in Yellow off after initial failures, Cummins's army won nine matches in a row to lift the title. His famous comment before the final against India, where he stated that there is "nothing more satisfying than hearing a big crowd go silent" will go down as one of the coldest statements by a cricketer.
Stats
Enhanced performance as a leader
Cummins backs his captaincy with stellar performances on the field. His tally of 151 Test wickets at 22.54 is the second-most for any skipper. The pacer also owns the second-most IPL wickets while leading the team (42 at an economy of 9.07). Time and again, Cummins has also done the rescue job with the bat to power his unit.
Exceptional captaincy
Cummins among best bowling captains: Chappell
Cummins's captaincy style has been validated by none other than Ian Chappell, one of Australia's greatest skippers ever. Chappell had also said that Cummins's leadership has exceeded his expectations and ranks among the best bowling captains in cricket history. He compared him with Imran Khan, Richie Benaud, and Ray Illingworth. In a column in 2023, Chappell wrote, "By performing well as a captain in different countries and formats and in a variety of conditions, Cummins is putting himself in that category."