- The Aussie star is a very successful cricketer
- Made his Test debut in 2011 and hasn’t looked back
- Can you guess the identity of this international sports star?
He is one of Australia’s greatest athletes and could one day go down as one of the greatest ever captains in the history of cricket – and there are few fans who wouldn’t recognize him as he looks today.
But even the most informed supporters might have trouble identifying the superstar in this throwback photo of him in his football team photo when he was just a kid.
The man is Australian test captain Pat Cummins.
Cummins, who grew up in the Blue Mountains suburb of Mount Riverview, is pictured playing for the mighty Blaxland Redbacks.
The aggressive fast bowler played junior cricket for Glenbrook-Blaxland Cricket Club before switching to Penrith District Cricket Club in 2010.
That same year Cummins played for NSW in the National Under-17 Championships and later for the NSW Under-19 side.
Australian cricket skipper Pat Cummins (above right) plays for the Blue Mountains-based Blaxland Redbacks football team
Cummins, who grew up in the lower Blue Mountains, made his Test debut in 2011
Cummins made his Test debut in 2011 against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, aged just 18.
Remarkably, it was only his fourth first-class match of his career.
He then replaced Tim Paine as Australia’s Test captain in November 2021, and has since overseen a golden period.
It includes the ICC World Test Championship, England retaining the Ashes and the ODI World Cup last year after beating a shocked India in front of their own fans.
Cummins is currently preparing his side to take on India and regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time since the 2014-15 season.
The two sides clash in Perth on Friday for the opening Test of the series, with the visitors going into the opening match on the back of a 3-0 defeat to New Zealand.
Virat Kohli has been in the spotlight in recent months for his indifferent form, with the former India captain struggling to score runs against the Black Caps.
Kohli managed just 93 runs throughout the series, despite a 70 in the first Test – his highest score.
The fast bowler replaced Tim Paine as Australia’s Test captain in November 2021 and has led the team to a highly successful run
Cummins is currently preparing to face India and regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Australian cricket legend Glenn McGrath is confident of Australia’s chances and claims if he were still playing he would predict a 5-0 whitewash ‘without a doubt’.
And he believes Australia must use mind games to target Kohli, who he claimed could be feeling the pressure after mixed recent form.
“You look at that series against New Zealand the other day where in the three Tests he only made 90 runs, his top score was 70. So it was a pretty poor series,” McGrath told The Daily Telegraph during a promotional campaign for Great Northern’s A long way for a beer campaign.
‘He would be under a bit of pressure. He probably feels it too.
“So if Australia can start well and bowl well to topple him in the first Test match, that could set up the whole series for us. So I think the first test is quite important.”