The irony of that has defined this Ashes. Australia was able to control England rather than dominate it. They controlled the workload on their players and their team’s momentum, as well as the key moments in each game. Before the Ashes began, Cummins had to deal with the aftermath of returning from a back injury, and the primary goal for him was to get the Ashes over first, and then he would be concerned about the optics. Australia has now retained the urn with 2 tests to go and is still ahead after Nathan Lyon suffered what may likely be an ending hamstring injury, while England was at least able to consider what might have been a miraculous chase to take the urn. The Ashes did not simply need to be won, but also needed to be controlled.
Relentless Pressure, Not Ruthless Pace
The Australians’ bowling strength has been based on grinding rather than having fast-bowlers with express speed and wacky bowling performances. Cummins’ comment, “you can’t really rush things here,” is reminiscent of an age-old saying from Australia: “wins at home are achieved by grinding.”
At the Adelaide Oval, Australia used unending lines, extremely tight fields, and endless patience to strangle England. Although England attempted to alter the narrative as they did with Jamie Smith and Will Jacks, Australia were never out of runs and never lost their composure.
Depth Replaced Drama After Lyon’s Injury
Instead of Nathan Lyon’s injury being another disruptor to an already fragile Australian team, it proved to be one of many tests that were passed by Australia in silence. Both Scott Boland finishing off the last Test and Mitchell Starc getting a wicket on the last day of the Test, with Jack’s dismissal coming courtesy of a spectacular slip catch from Marnus Labuschagne, show just how deep in talent Australia is structurally.
It wasn’t Australia doing things on the fly when they had to deal with another player (in this case, Nathan Lyon) going down with injury. It was Australia using its System Strength. For many years now, Australia has shown us how to normalize disruption, i.e., losing players (like Cummins) before the first ball is bowled or having other players pull up injured (like Nathan Lyon), but still produce the same results.
Fielding as a Competitive Weapon
Bowling spells make the Ashes series memorable; this one will also have people remembering the hands of the players in the field. Australia’s fielding has been top-class throughout the series, and Alex Carey’s glove work has bordered on perfection.
England has been seeking momentum by showing their intent in this series, but Australia has snuffed out that momentum with its precision; every half-chance was caught, and every miscalculation was capitalized upon. The pressure has not only come from the ball; there is pressure all over the pitch.
Leadership Without Martyrdom
The transformation of Pat Cummins’ leadership is less evident than it is transformative. He no longer has the need to be everywhere at once. Being absent from an early Test? No problem. Being present just long enough for one big game? Perfect timing.
Step back when he wants to, even though he says he’s “feeling really good,” it gives you a sense of a leader who trusts his team. The Australian cricket team doesn’t revolve around players. It functions like a well-oiled machine that can absorb setbacks and keep moving forward.
Cummins may never appear in a match in this series again, and it will not lessen the importance of his contribution to the team; it will define it.
Stay updated on the latest cricket news and exciting updates at Six6slive. Dive into our in-depth articles and analyses to connect with the action today!