Fast
bowler
Cummins
was
on
Friday
(November
26)
named
Australian
men’s
Test
cricket
team
captain
following
the
announcement
of
Tim
Paine
taking
an
indefinite
break
from
all
cricket.

Alongside
Cummins,
batter
and
former
skipper,
Steve
Smith
was
named
vice-captain
of
the
team.
Cummins
said
Smith
is
central
to
how
he
wants
Australia
to
function
under
their
leadership
going
forward.

“I
think
there’s
a
couple
of
more
unknowns
about
having
a
bowling
captain
and
that’s
why
from
the
outset
I
was
absolutely
determined
if
I
was
captain
to
have
someone
like
Steve
as
vice-captain
next
to
me,”
ESPNcricinfo
quoted
Cummins
as
saying.

“Obviously,
it’s
not
our
decision
who
is
captain
and
vice-captain.
I
made
it
pretty
clear
that
if
I
was
given
the
captaincy
that
this
is
how
I
saw
the
team
running
and
I
tried
to
bring
Steve
along
for
that
as
well.

“He’s
so
central
to
how
I
see
my
captaincy
style
but
[also]
how
I
see
the
team
functioning,”
he
added.

Cummins
joined
an
elite
club
with
the
honour
of
leading
Australia,
stepping
into
the
role
after
almost
two
years
as
vice-captain.

“I’m
naturally
quite
a
calm
person.
I’m
quite
positive.
I’ll
be
leaning
on
everyone.
I’m
a
big
one
for
empowering
individuals
to
own
their
role
(in
the
team),”
he
said.

Smith,
the
Australia
batting
mainstay
said
he
was
honoured
to
be
named
Cummins’ Test
deputy.

“I’ve
been
in
a
position
for
the
last
few
years
playing
as
a
leader.
Now
to
have
the
opportunity
to
be
standing
here
next
to
Patrick
with
a
formal
title,
I
feel
very
honoured,” said
Smith.

Speaking
about
his
leadership
style,
Cummins
said,
“I’m
naturally
quite
a
calm
person.
I’m
quite
positive.
I’ll
be
leaning
on
everyone.
I’m
a
big
one
for
empowering
individuals
to
own
their
role.

“I
very
much
doubt
that
I
will
rest
from
Test
cricket.
I
have
never
rested
from
a
game
of
Test
cricket
before,
so
I
doubt
that
will
start
now,”
he
added.

Smith,
who
made
his
Test
debut
in
2010,
has
been
an
integral
part
of
the
senior
playing
group
in
with
his
growth
as
a
leader
and
person
on
and
off
the
field.