Australian test captain Pat Cummins has been handed the additional responsibility of leading the Aussie team in the white ball format after Aaron Finch’s retirement from ODI cricket last month.
The pacer becomes the first fast bowler to lead the Australian side in the 50-over format and only the second bowler after the late Shane Warne, who led the team in the ODI’s for 11 games in the nineties. Australia are still to name a vice-captain to Pat Cummins and the announcement could be expected soon as the newly appointed captain will look to build a strong team with the ODI World Cup just a year away. The ICC ODI World Cup will be played in India between October and November 2023.
Cummins overpowered his teammates Steve Smith, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey, and Glenn Maxwell in the race for the top job to become Australia’s 27th ODI captain.
Australian opener David Warner was also in the reckoning but could not be cleared of his lifetime leadership ban handed over by Cricket Australia for his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal during the Cape Town Test against South Africa.
“Pat has done an excellent job since taking on the captaincy of the Test side and we look forward to him leading the one-day team to the 2023 World Cup in India,” said selection chief George Bailey, as quoted by Cricket Australia.