Cummins Overrated?

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From March 2018, the day after the Ball Tampering scandal went public.

Time for a good story in a horrible 24 hours.



This guy has been fantastic, yet again this test. When the team needs somebody to rely on and in tough conditions, it's so often the youngest player that steps up in the bowling line up. He seemed to be the only player with any kind of energy. While Starc was spraying them all over the place, Lyon was completely ineffective and the rest of the team looked like they were at a funeral, Cummins was excellent in the opening session. He lifted the team and was the only player who looked remotely interested. Wouldn't be surprised to see him get a five for as the others certainly don't look like taking a wicket at the moment. He has bowled 53 overs so far this test and has gone from barely staying on the field for ten overs, to being a workhorse bowler.



Excellent find. Australia have a star in Patty. And to be honest, I think he could be a captain one day.
 
I'll admit I didn't rate Cummins initially
 
I'll admit I didn't rate Cummins initially

When Jacques Kallos came out and said he will be a special cricketer, that was enough for me.

I don’t think a lot of people understand how much goes in to remodelling a bowling action. Saw the same thing with Green when he first started bowling again last summer with a new action.
 
I'll admit I didn't rate Cummins initially

To be fair, for quite a while, there were legitimate questions as to whether he'd actually get on the park enough to have a Test career of any note. Plus, his initial action IMO wasn't sustainable and his subsequent injuries were not a surprise to me.

That said, there's no doubt that he was exceptionally gifted. You don't bowl like he did at Johannesburg as a teenager without incredible talent, and the way he set up Jacques Kallis and bluffed Morne Morkel (had him hang back and then threw in a quick yorker) was exceptionally intelligent given his inexperience.

There's another thing I should have mentioned - while he would definitely be a threat on the subcontinent, his use of reverse swing to dismiss Buttler and Wood at the SCG shocked me. I didn't know he had that in his armoury, because he doesn't really rely on swing to take wickets. I saw Cummins as someone who relied on pace, accuracy, persistence and an awkward action, rather than an exceptional command of seam and swing. I may have underestimated him in that regard.
 
To be fair, for quite a while, there were legitimate questions as to whether he'd actually get on the park enough to have a Test career of any note. Plus, his initial action IMO wasn't sustainable and his subsequent injuries were not a surprise to me.

That said, there's no doubt that he was exceptionally gifted. You don't bowl like he did at Johannesburg as a teenager without incredible talent, and the way he set up Jacques Kallis and bluffed Morne Morkel (had him hang back and then threw in a quick yorker) was exceptionally intelligent given his inexperience.

There's another thing I should have mentioned - while he would definitely be a threat on the subcontinent, his use of reverse swing to dismiss Buttler and Wood at the SCG shocked me. I didn't know he had that in his armoury, because he doesn't really rely on swing to take wickets. I saw Cummins as someone who relied on pace, accuracy, persistence and an awkward action, rather than an exceptional command of seam and swing. I may have underestimated him in that regard.
If Cummins could add swing to his game for the occasional out swinger or in swinger, he would be just about unplayable.
 

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Cummins' batting is still fine for the 8-9 spot, though he is more of your stickaround tailender in the Gillespie and Siddle mould rather than a low-order goer (e.g Lee, Johnson, Warne, Starc). In certain situations that will be what the team needs more, and him and Starc should switch accordingly.
 
RE his batting, Cummins' basic defensive technique is fine, and he's good at grinding out runs (again, he is nothing if not a trier), but his strokeplay is limited and he gets himself into trouble when he's trying to move the scoring along, playing at balls he shouldn't be playing at and edging them, or getting out in silly ways.
 
Cummins' batting is still fine for the 8-9 spot, though he is more of your stickaround tailender in the Gillespie and Siddle mould rather than a low-order goer (e.g Lee, Johnson, Warne, Starc). In certain situations that will be what the team needs more, and him and Starc should switch accordingly.

he really hasnt batted like a number 8 since maybe the 17/18 ashes, averaged 10 last 3 years.

he would still be at 9 if we have our first choice attack but starc should be 8 based on form.
 
And just like Johnson, Starc gets pilloried for no good reason other than he's not McGrath or something.

probably similar to Brett Lee. Their best is amazing but when they get it wrong, it can get ugly for a while.

but all three are walk up starts
 

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