Former India player Aakash Chopra has applauded Australian captain Pat Cummins for bowling a stunning spell on Day 2 of the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final. He said that Pat Cummins surpassed Jasprit Bumrah to become the highest wicket-taker in the 2023-25 WTC cycle. Notably, Cummins registered figures of 6/28 in 18.1 overs as Australia bowled South Africa out for 138 in their first innings at Lord’s on Thursday, June 12 as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “South Africa started with good intent. They played well in the first session, but Pat Cummins came after that. He picked up six wickets. What a bowler. He is probably slightly less celebrated because he has Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood alongside him. However, Pat Cummins, the captain, and Pat Cummins, the bowler, he is a superstar. He has the most five-wicket hauls in this WTC cycle. He has also taken the most wickets. He has run ahead of Jasprit Bumrah.”
ALSO READ: “I did get a couple of hints” – AB de Villiers on Virat Kohli’s Test retirement
“The ball doesn’t swing that much when it gets older, and he is not a swing bowler either. He hits the deck hard, and the ball moves left or right after pitching. It seems like every ball is bowled with purpose. There isn’t even a single ball that is just floated. He bowls an impeccable length,” Chopra again shared.
However, Aakash Chopra also stated that Pat Cummins has proved that fast bowlers can be successful captains too.
“He repeatedly builds a case that you can actually have fast bowlers as captains. What’s the drawback of making a bowler the captain? Either they overbowl themselves or they underbowl themselves. As a bowler, that’s a challenge for a captain,” he said.
“You are not allowed to go out as well, and he has been doing that constantly. We saw that in ODIs, the IPL, and he does that job constantly in Test cricket. He doesn’t take a break. He is outstanding, supremely fit, very skillful, constantly in for a fight, and a phenomenal leader who uses his bowlers extremely well,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
