Man for every format

Michael Clarke has long been calling for Pat Cummins to become Australia’s next Test captain and now he wants the superstar to lead his country in all three formats.

Former captain Clarke has suggested the end of 2020-21 might be an ideal time for Tim Paine, who alongside Justin Langer have led Australia’s recovery since the Cape Town cheating scandal, to step down.

Clarke also declared the end of this year’s Twenty20 World Cup could be the right time for Aaron Finch to hand the reins over to Cummins.

Langer has previously backed Paine to lead until at least the final of the world Test championship, at Lord’s in mid-2021, and Finch’s position is not in any jeopardy.

Clarke, who captained Australia in 47 Tests and 74 ODIS, can now envisage the set of circumstances in which fast bowler Cummins is promoted to call the shots in all three national teams.

“Tim Paine’s done a wonderful job, there’s no doubt about it, and I think he’s earned the right to continue to captain Australia until it’s time for him to retire,” Clarke said on Big Sports Breakfast.

“Tim is 34 or 35 and I imagine he will be thinking about that after this Australian summer. If Australia can win there (during a home series against India) that’s an ideal time for Tim to walk away on top.”

Clarke added Australia “need one captain across all three formats” and the obvious candidate is Cummins.

“He reads the game really well,” he said. “Yes, he’s an opening bowler but he can bat. He’s brilliant in the field. He sees the game how a captain needs to.”

Cummins endured a horror stretch on the injury front after an eye-catching Test debut at age 18 in 2011.

But since March 2017, no paceman in the world has bowled more deliveries across all international matches.

“Pat has shown that he’s fit, he’s healthy, he can play all three formats. His body has now matured into a position where he’ll be on the pitch as much as any batsman.”