“Imran Khan said to be a good captain you've got to understand bowling” - Ian Chappell hails ‘smart’ leader Pat Cummins

Australian legend Ian Chappell praised Pat Cummins as a smart leader, asserting that he's not surprised with the manner in which the fast bowler led his team to victory in the opening Ashes 2023 Test. Citing an observation from former Pakistan captain Imran Khan, Chappell described Cummins as someone who understands bowling very well.

Amid the buzz over England’s ‘Bazball’ style of play, Australia employed traditional methods to clinch the first Test of the five-match Ashes 2023 series at Edgbaston by two wickets. Cummins played a key role in the visitors’ triumph. He picked up four wickets in the second innings and contributed 38 and 44* with the bat.

Speaking to Wide World of Sports, Chappell responded to critics who had questioned Cummins’ appointment as Test captain, as he's a fast bowler. The former Australian captain said:

"Anybody who queried how good Cummins would be as a captain because he was a pace bowler obviously hadn't studied his Test career very well. I think where he's smart is he's shown he'll attack when he thinks it's right, and he obviously thought it was right in that last partnership, and it turned out to be the winning move.

"(World Cup-winning Pakistan captain) Imran Khan said to be a good captain you've got to understand bowling. Now, who is going to understand a bowler better than a very good bowler? It was no surprise to me at all that Cummins is a good captain," the former player added.

After Australia conceded a slender first-innings lead of seven runs at Edgbaston, Cummins claimed 4063 in the second innings as England were bowled out for 273. In their chase of 281, the Aussies were eight down for 227, but their captain held his nerve to take the visitors home.

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“By attacking, he forced England onto the back foot” - Chappell on Cummins

Reflecting on the Australian captain’s batting efforts in the first Ashes 2023 Test, Chappell observed that the right-hander paced his innings very well, putting England under pressure. The Aussie great elaborated:

"That's where Cummins stood out. That probably swayed the game in Australia's favour, and, I think, by attacking, he forced England onto the back foot, and they spread the field, and Australia were able to capitalise.

"Once you spread the field in Test cricket, you put the odds in your favour. I thought it was a brave move, but it was one that swung the game," Chappell concluded.

The second Test of the 2023 Ashes series starts at Lord’s in London on June 28.