"Like Virat Kohli, Pat Cummins carries a torch for Test cricket" - Michael Atherton ahead of 1st Ashes 2021 Test

Michael Atherton has likened Pat Cummins' commitment to Test cricket to Virat Kohli ahead of the pacer's first assignment as Australian Test captain in the Ashes 2021 opener at the Gabba. Atherton said that, like the Indian skipper, Pat Cummins "carries a torch" for the longest format, despite earning a lot more through the IPL and T20 cricket.

Pat Cummins was announced as a replacement for Tim Paine, who stepped down from national leadership following an off-field scandal. Cummins is set to become only the second fast bowler since World War II to lead Australia. His appointment is thus being viewed with part anticipation and part uncertainty.

Michael Atherton's comments came in his column for The Times. Talking up the 28-year-old Aussie, he pointed to how Pat Cummins loves Test cricket, has an impressive resume on his major skills and is likely to be an unassuming leader. Atherton wrote:

"Cummins’s status as an elite performer is beyond argument. He lays good claim to being the best fast bowler in Test cricket today, and is ranked the No 1 Test bowler. He is strong and fast, and, having overcome the serious back injuries of his youth, has put together an impressive CV. Like Virat Kohli, he carries a torch for Test cricket, having frequently announced it as his favourite form of the game, despite the millions earned in the Indian Premier League."

Although Pat Cummins was Australia's Test vice-captain under Paine, he has little captaincy experience in first-class or other domestic cricket. But while he is new to the job, he'll have the support of the experienced Steve Smith as his deputy.

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"Can Pat Cummins find the right balance between under-bowling and overbowling himself?" - Michael Atherton

Further, Michael Atherton put forward some 'legitimate' questions that have so far revolved around Pat Cummins' elevation, saying they "must be answered".

He feels that in the fast-bowler's recent photo session with English counterpart Joe Root, the Aussie "certainly looked the part", which sets it well for a riveting Ashes.

The former England captain said:

"Can he break the mould? Can he control his emotions in a one-on-one contest with a batsman and think critically and coolly about the bigger picture? Can he find the right balance between under-bowling and overbowling himself? How will he combine the extreme physical demands with the constant requirement to be thinking about the game. No more grazing at fine leg in between overs to rest up. Will his body last the course?"

Michael Atherton added:

"All these are legitimate questions that must be answered. At the Gabba yesterday, he lined up with Joe Root alongside a giant replica urn and he certainly looked the part. Still, anyone who says that Rocky IV is the best sports movie ever made must have his flaws. It is on the field, as Cummins tries to balance the intense demands of captaincy and fast bowling, that England will look to expose them."

The Gabba Test will commence at 5:30 IST in Brisbane on Wednesday. This will be followed by a pink-ball encounter in Adelaide, beginning on December 16.