If Kagiso Rabada set the stage ablaze on the opening day of the WTC final, it was Pat Cummins' turn on day two as the Australian captain ripped through South Africa's middle order after lunch to give his side a sizeable first innings lead. Cummins returned figures of 6/28, the best performance by a captain at Lord's and the 32-year-old also eased into the 300-wickets club after taking the sixth scalp. Cummins became the eighth Australian to reach the landmark and the fifth fastest to the milestone in the all-time list in terms of balls bowled.
The premier fast bowler, who was an injury-prone player during his early years, reflected on his journey so far. Having made his debut with a stirring seven-wicket match haul that also included a match-winning six-fer in the second innings, it took another six years for Cummins to feature in a Test match. While his natural talent and mental strength were never in doubt, fitness was Cummins' enemy at one point. With fellow bowling mates Nathan Lyon (553*) and Mitchell Starc (384*) zooming ahead in the all-time wicket-takers list, Cummins feels that he has a lot more gas left in the tank.
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"For the first few years, I didn't know where my second Test match was coming," remarked Cummins at the press conference after the second day's play.
"I still feel like I've got lots of miles in the legs. 'Gaz' (Nathan Lyon) is up past 500 wickets, (whereas) back in the day, 300 felt like you'd be close to the end (of your career). 'Starcy' (Mitchell Starc) is almost 400, so I don't feel like I'm near the end anytime soon."
"The medical staff I really need to thank, the way they looked after me in the early years and continually to get through a Test match, the way they managed the fast bowlers, a lot of this is a nod to them as well."
Since his Test comeback in 2017, Cummins has featured in another 66 matches over the past eight years, rarely missing games due to injury. When you factor in the white-ball games and the IPL, it is indeed commendable how the Australian captain turned things around. Among Australian pacers with at least 100 Test wickets, Cummins' strike rate of 45.5 is the best of the lot. While the 300-wicket milestone remains a landmark achievement in Tests, Cummins is eager for further success.
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"It's really cool knowing there's not too many on that list," he said.
"As fast bowler as well, 300 is something I always thought of as a pretty good sign of durability, resilience and longevity, so I feel pretty proud to join that group."
