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Ian Healy wants Pat Cummins to leave captaincy and focus on bowling

Written by Vipin Darwade

Former Australia cricketer Ian Healy has urged Pat Cummins to leave Test captaincy and focus solely on his fast-bowling skills. Cummins was appointed as Australia’s Test captain in November of 2021. The 29-year-old was made ODI skipper last year when Aaron Finch retired.

“I don’t want him carrying the burden of so much captaincy for too long. I want him to finish (as just a bowler). The captaincy creates a burnout and four to five years is a long time as a captain.”

“He’s done a few years (as Test captain) already, now he’s adding (short-form captaincy) to his thought processes at a time when he’s dealing with some sort of family illness back home. So yeah, I would like to see him finish his career as a tearaway fast bowler and someone else with the captaincy burden,” said Healy to the SEN Radio show on Friday.

Cummins, who has pulled out of the third Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against India in Indore due to a serious family illness, has played 49 Tests so far and claimed 217 wickets at an average of 21.51, including 8 five-wicket hauls.

On being asked who should be Cummins’ long-term successor, Healy feels left-handed batter Travis Head could be a suitable candidate.

“I think Travis Head is quite capable. He’s led South Australia since he was a 21-year-old, he’s quite capable and has got a lot of experience. He’s the main one that stands out to me,” he said.

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Vipin Darwade