Patrick James Cummins

Patrick James Cummins is an Australian international cricketer, currently captain of Australia's national team in all formats. He is a fast bowler and a qualified right-handed batsman of the lower order. Pat indeed became the bright light of cricket in the wake of Australia's ball-tampering scandal. He tallied 9 wickets in 141runs in a Test series against South Africa - the scene of his debut as an 18-year-old in 2011 - when Australia fell on them in Cape Town and then stood tall in terms of rebuilding over the next 12 months, taking a total of seven wickets and a thrilling two-wicket win against South Africa to win the series at Wanderers stadium. Cummins made his debut to play for New South Wales during the 2010–11 Season, and was particularly impressive in his first Big Bash season - topping the bowling chart with 11 wickets at 14.09, scoring only 6.59 runs per over.

Known as the future leader of Australia's Pace Attack, he was offered a central contract for 2011–12, becoming the youngest player to contract since the current system was introduced in 1998. In 2017-18, he played five consecutive Tests against England, making a stunning pace trio with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. He played all six Tests in the domestic summer of 2018–19 but continued to be managed as one of Australia's most valuable assets. He became the world's No. 1 ranked Test bowler and claimed Australia's prestigious Allan Border Medal for being the cricketer of the year 2018-19. In the 2020 IPL auction, he was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders at a price of Rs 15.5 crore, where he became the most expensive overseas player in IPL auction history. In January 2020, Cummins was named as Test Cricketer of the Year by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Major Achievements -

• In the 2010-11 Big Bash League preliminary final against Tasmania, Cummins took four wickets for 16 runs and was voted man of the match. He finished as the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with Nathan Lyon.
• In November 2011, Pat made his Test debut at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg against South Africa, becoming Australia's youngest Test cricketer after Ian Craig in 1953.
• In August 2012, Cummins was selected in Australia's provisional squad for the ICC Under-19 World Cup to be held in Queensland.
• He returned to Test cricket on 17 March 2017, after a 5-year absence due to various injuries. He was reselected due to an injury to Mitchell Starc.
• Pat scored his first Test fifty in the fourth Test against South Africa during Australia's tour of South Africa in 2017-18.
• Cricket Australia awarded him a national contract for the 2018-19 season. Cummins was named in the 2018 Test XI of the year by Cricbuzz for his outstanding performance, as he took 44 wickets that year.
• Cummins was selected in Australia's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup in April 2019.
• He was selected in Australia's squad for the 2019 Ashes series in England in July 2019. He was the leading wicket-taker for the series, taking 29 runs in 5 matches at an average of 19.62.
• Cummins was awarded the Allan Border Medal in 2019.
• Pat was picked by the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2014 season. In 2017, he was bought by the Delhi Daredevils team. In the IPL 2018 auction, he was bought by Mumbai Indians. At the 2020 IPL auction, he was hired by Kolkata Knight Riders.