Perhaps Pat Cummins has an automatic switch fitted in his brain, and he turns it on during a crunch game. Granted that Sunrisers Hyderabad went into the game against Delhi Capitals (DC) with only a slim chance of qualifying for the playoffs. However, when Cummins was ripping through DC, that window of opportunity seemed bigger than what it was in reality.
The first ball itself told you everything that you would want to know about Cummins’ relentless bowling. It was a delivery that pitched on a good length and moved away just enough to catch the edge of Karun Nair’s bat. Yes, that dismissal was partly due to some faulty technique, but to zoom the ball in at the right area from ball 1 exemplified Cummins’ control and muscle memory.
Cummins showcased his class in his second over too, dismissing the experienced Faf du Plessis. The former South African skipper tried to free his arms, only for Cummins to tuck him up with the hard length. All that he could do was spoon a catch to the wicketkeeper.
And by the completion of his third over, he had reduced DC to 19 for 3. By then, Cummins had more or less ensured that DC wouldn’t be able to notch up a winning score. By that time, there was also a graphic that came up on the screen, which said something about Cummins’ pinpoint accuracy. Most of the deliveries were pitched on a good length and hitting top of off.
Cummins’ hit-the-deck skills and unremitting discipline have always been the hallmarks of his bowling. Even if you transport yourself back to another time, there are enough examples to ram home the point. In January 2011, Cummins, all of 17, was partaking in a domestic T20 tournament in Australia. Most of the hype seemed to be around that one teenager.
So much so that he already seemed to have a fan club, with one of the banners saying – Pat Cummins FC, we love you. The fast bowler lived up to the hype in one of the matches played between New South Wales and Queensland, as he ran through a top order comprising Michael Lumb, James Hopes and Chris Simpson. Cummins executed the simple plan of hitting the pitch hard and zooming the ball on the stumps. And he did all of it with a smile on his face.
Over the years, he has just made it a habit to execute his tried-and-tested methods, especially in games of utmost importance. The memories of the 2023 World Cup final still echo in the mind, when Cummins silenced the massive crowd in Ahmedabad by dismissing Virat Kohli.
We saw more glimpses of his traits in the just concluded SRH-DC game. Unfortunately for Cummins and his side, that glimmer of hope of qualifying for the playoffs soon evaporated into thin air on the back of persistent rain.