Fast bowling great Brett Lee says Pat Cummins 'too gentle' to demand new ball
Brett Lee thinks Pat Cummins' gentle nature may be why he's still bowling first change for Australia despite being the world's No.1 Test bowler.
Recalled Mitchell Starc and the accurate Josh Hazlewood took the new ball for Australia in the summer's first Test, against Pakistan at the Gabba on Thursday.
They went wicketless through their first spells as Azhar Ali and Shan Masood survived with few hiccups before Cummins was introduced in the ninth over.
The opening pair became the first to survive a session after batting first at the Gabba against the Australians in a Test.
Pat Cummins during the third Ashes Test at Headingley. AP
Cummins' energetic five-over spell after lunch quickly ended that stand, before Hazlewood, Starc and Hazlewood again chimed in to turn the tables.
Insisting that the vice-captain should no longer toe the company line, Lee has seen enough to believe Cummins deserves top billing.
"He's No.1 (in the world Test rankings) and as a gentle guy off the field he won't push his case forward," Lee said on Fox Cricket commentary.
"He's content to say 'wherever you want to put me I'll do it'.
"I think he's earnt that right to put his hand up and say 'OK skip, I want that new ball'.
Cummins has become Tim Paine's chief destroyer over the last 18 months but still bowls first change AAP
"There's a massive difference, I can promise you as a fast bowler.
"To take that brand new Kookaburra ball, that mindset is totally different.
"I hated it (bowling first change) absolutely; there's a huge ego that goes with being a bowler."
Cummins was the chief destroyer during the Ashes, taking the new ball on most occasions before Starc's recall saw him open with Hazlewood in the fourth Test.
Cummins' Test bowling average is 21.45, while Starc's is 28.26 and Hazlewood's is 26.57.
The wayward Mitchell Starc is given the new ball due to his ability to move the ball sideways AAP
But CricViz statistics support the current approach.
Cummins' average as a first-change bowler is only 3.81 worse than as an opener, far more impressive than either Hazlewood (12.44) and Starc (11.36).
Perhaps with that in mind, captain Tim Paine said all three quicks were clear on how they fitted into the team's plan.
"We've communicated that with the three of them," he said at the toss.
"I've spoken to Pat about that; he wants the new ball at times but all three of them are team men."
