Ponting believes Cummins will be Australia’s next ODI captain after Finch’s retirement

Dubai, Sep 19 : Former Australia skipper and two-time ODI World Cup winning captain Ricky Ponting believes Test captain Pat Cummins would be the sides new captain in 50-over format after the retirement of opener Aaron Finch.Finch, currently the T20I skipper, announced his retirement from ODIs during Australias recent home series against New Zealand, which the hosts won 3-0.

With less than a year to go before the start of the 2023 Mens ODI World Cup in India, Ponting thinks Cummins, 29, will be the ideal choice for the leadership role though it will lead to an increase in his workload in international cricket."I think itll be Pat Cummins, to be honest.

I know he doesnt play all the ODIs for obvious reasons, because his workload in Test cricket has been, like all the fast bowlers, very high in the last few years.""I know they are very conscious of making sure that theyve got Cummins, (Josh) Hazlewood and (Mitchell) Starc a 100 percent fit and healthy for the big Test series to come around.

But look, Ill be surprised if it wasnt Pat Cummins," said Ponting on The ICC Review show.Ponting further felt that Australia should consider Steve Smith and David Warner for any future leadership position in the white-ball side, which has been there since the ball-tampering ban in 2018 at South Africa, citing the current Test vice-captaincy role held by Smith.

"Im just basing this on whats happened with Steve Smith - he is now the Test vice-captain again, having been the captain and really at the centre of the whole controversy in Cape Town.He is now the Test vice-captain, which means obviously that if Pat Cummins ever misses a Test, then Steve Smith is going to be the captain of Australia again in Test match cricket.

""So, if thats the case, and all being even and reasonably fair, then I think it would be OK, as far as Im concerned, for David Warner to have his name (in the ring).Not saying that they have to make him captain, but he should be able to be in the conversation.

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