Business as usual for captain Pat Cummins in New Year: Another 5 wicket haul

Listen to Story Pat Cummins began the New Year with a 5 wicket haul as he continued from where he left last year. The Australia captain was at his brutal best on Day 1 of the New Year's Test against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday, January 3. It was Cummins's 3rd successive five wicket haul in Test cricket after his 10 wicket match in the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan in Melbourne last month.

Pat Cummins, coming into the attack as the first change bowler on an overcast day in Sydney, got the big wicket of former captain Babar Azam with a sensational inswinger in the first session as Pakistan slipped to 39 for 3 inside the first 11 overs. Pakistan openers by Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood as the top order batters did not back up the captain's decision to bat first after winning the toss in Sydney.

Pat Cummins then removed Saud Shakeel and returned to pick the big wicket of Mohammad Rizwan, who fell 12 runs short of becoming the first Pakistan wicketkeeper to hit a hundred in Australia in Test cricket. Cummins then removed Sajid Khan and Hasan Ali became his 5th victim of the innings. Pakistan were in a spot of bother after having lost 9 wickets for just 227 runs on Day 1 of the 3rd and final Test of the series.

A HOOPING in dipper! Cummins gets Babar again! | | — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) Pat Cummins became the first Australia bowler since Nathan Lyon in 2017 to pick 3 successive 5 wicket hauls in Tests. He also equalled Mitchell Johnson in the list of Australian fast bowlers with the most 5 wicket hauls in Test cricket.

as everything he touched turned into gold. He led Australia to their maiden World Test Championship title, beating India in the final in London. He then helped Australia retain the Ashes Urn in a drawn series in England. Cummins capped off the year by leading Australia to World Cup 2023 title, beating India in the final in Ahmedabad.

The year only became better as Cummins led Australia took an unbeatable 2 0 lead in the 3 match Test series against Pakistan..