Ashes: Cool to get linked with Bradman, Benaud, Waugh, Clarke, Ponting, says new Australia captain Cummins

(December
7)
said
that
it
is
a
“crazy
feeling”
to
be
leading
the
side
in
the
upcoming
Ashes,
starting
with
the
first
Test
at
Gabba
from
Wednesday
(December
8).

Cummins
was
named
Australia’s
skipper
after
Tim
Paine
stepped
down
from
the
post
following
a
sexting
scandal.
Steve
Smith
will
don
the
hat
of
vice-captain.

“Similar
to
when
I
debuted
and
received
my
Baggy
Green,
you’re
part
of
that
history.
And
I
remember
thinking
that
was
a
really
cool
moment
that
tied
together
Donald
Bradman,
and
Richie
Benaud,
and
all
the
greats
of
the
game.

“On
a
different
level,
it’s
almost
crazy
being
the
47th
men’s
Test
captain,
the
lineage
of
Painey
(Tim
Paine),
‘Smithy’
(Steve
Smith),
Ricky
Ponting.
Michael
Clarke,
Steve
Waugh
–
they’re
legends
of
the
game,
(who)
I
grew
up
watching,”
cricket.com.au
quoted
Cummins
as
saying.

“You
can
pick
out
different
parts
of
each
captain.
Steve
Waugh
was
with
us
in
the
Ashes
last
time
(in
2019),
and
he
was
great,
how
simple
he
kept
things.

“There’s
so
much
noise
and
things
going
on,
and
data
and
things
to
get
caught
up
with,
especially
us
cricket
lovers
–
the
way
he
just
distilled
it
down
and
kept
it
really
simple
was
great,”
he
added.

Talking
about
past
captains
Ricky
Ponting
and
Michael
Clarke,
Cummins
said:
“Michael
Clarke
made
me
feel
10-feet
tall
when
I
walked
out
to
bowl,
even
if
I
didn’t
feel
like
I
was
super
confident.
Ricky
Ponting,
just
a
great
people
person.

“Steve
Smith
just
led
from
the
front.
Painey,
great
people
person
…
so
great
examples
to
take
from
all
of
them.”

“We’ll
be
concentrating
on
what
we
do
really
well.
We
won’t
be
getting
caught
up
in
too
many
grand
plans
or
changing
too
much
of
what
we
do
for
certain
players.

“We’ve
got
a
few
ideas,
but
I
don’t
think
you’ll
see
too
different
to
what
we
normally
do,”
he
added.

England
and
Australia
will
lock
horns
in
five-match
Ashes,
beginning
December
8
at
the
Gabba,
Brisbane.

Warne
bats
for
MCG

Former
Australia
spinner
Shane
Warne
on
Tuesday
(December
7)
said
that
the
fifth
Ashes
Test
should
be
played
in
Melbourne
and
it
should
be
a
day-night
affair.

Warne’s
comments
came
as
the
fifth
Ashes
Test
has
been
moved
out
of
Perth
due
to
COVID-19
pandemic
related
restrictions.

“I
would
really
love
Hobart
or
Canberra
for
the
5th
test.
But
unfortunately,
the
venue
capacity
is
11,000.
Imagine
if
it’s
1-1,
or
2-1
either
way
&
the
decider
could
only
hold
11,000.
MCG
D/N
test
with
70,80,000
+
people
surely
makes
sense.
Ask
the
players.
Syd
plan
B,”
tweeted
Warne.

Cricket
Australia
(CA)
on
Monday
had
confirmed
that
the
fifth
men’s
Ashes
Test
match
will
be
relocated
from
Perth
Stadium
due
to
COVID-19
pandemic-related
restrictions.

CA
and
Western
Australian
Cricket
(WA
Cricket)
have
worked
closely
and
constructively
with
the
Western
Australia
Government
and
Perth
Stadium
over
several
months,
with
the
shared
goals
of
prioritizing
the
health
and
well-being
of
the
WA
community,
while
providing
the
best
possible
environment
for
the
players,
their
families,
match
officials,
staff
and
broadcast
partners.

Discussions
about
a
replacement
venue
for
the
fifth
Test
match
are
underway.