Pat Cummins open to lead ODI side, wants David Warner to be involved

Australian pace spearhead and Test skipper Pat Cummins said that he is open to lead one-day side but would also want David Warner to be involved. 

There has been a lot of debate over who should lead the Australian ODI side after Aaron Finch recently quit the post and retired from the 50-over format owing to poor form. While Cummins and Warner are frontrunners to fill up the post, the latter is currently under a lifetime leadership ban which bars him from taking up any captaincy or vice-captaincy role either with the national side or in the domestic Big Bash League.

Warner is serving a lifetime leadership ban owing to his involvement in the 2018 ball-tampering episode in Cape Town, which later came to be known as 'Sandpaper-gate'. While several current and former players have been pitching for Warner's leadership ban to be lifted, the biggest hurdle in the way is for Cricket Australia (CA) to rewrite its code of conduct.

As per current CA rules, "once a punishment is accepted by the player at fault it cannot be challenged."

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But since Warner has returned to the side after serving a one-year ban from all forms of cricket, he has guided the team to victory in several campaigns, including Australia's maiden title triumph in the ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE last year. He has also been on his best behaviour, prompting several presents and former cricketers, including Cummins, to ask CA to also lift the leadership ban on the veteran player.

Australia's packed schedule and the workload on Cummins make ODI captaincy rotation a viable option.

"The captaincy is something I'd be open to," Cummins was quoted as saying by Newcastle Herald. "(But) playing every single game isn't realistic. It would be really seamless if you had a committee. The style of just about everyone in the team is really similar. We've got some great leaders in the team, we all get along great."

With Cricket Australia giving a serious thought to include an exemption clause in their code of conduct, Warner could see his leadership ban being revoked.

"He'd (Warner) be awesome at it (captaincy)," Cummins said. "There are a few barriers at the moment, but certainly if they were removed, there wouldn't be any qualms from any of the playing or coaching groups. He's a leader in our group. Always has been, always will be," said Cummins.

"He's someone in the Test side I lean on a lot. If things changed (with his leadership ban), I'm sure he would be someone you would strongly consider to step up if needed," added Cummins.

David Warner has time and again proved his leadership abilities and Cummins has been great with the Test side. It will be interesting to see who gets hold of the role when it's all said and done. 

(Inputs IANS)