This week we welcome Pat Cummins, captain of the Australia Test and One-Day team. Pat is about to lead newly crowned World Test Champions Australia into a hotly anticipated Ashes series against England, his first as captain.
In today’s episode with Pat, we discuss:
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The responsibilities of a captain:
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How Pat became Australia captain and the key principles he sought to imprint on the team.
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The importance of building a culture that is inclusive and fair while ensuring the highest standards are maintained.
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Pat’s philosophy on leadership and how it differs from previous regimes.
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What does Pat do to balance his relationship with the players and management to ensure the responsibilities never come into conflict?
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Managing the personal and the professional:
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‘We play over 100 days of the year for Australia’. How does Pat balance family life with professional commitments?
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How to manage the highs and lows of professional sport and the importance of forming strong relationships in a team environment.
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The importance of routine and consistency when not on the pitch; find the habits that work and repeat them.
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How does Pat deal with pressure? How does he handle the increased scrutiny that comes with being captain?
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The emergence of franchise cricket:
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The rise of T20 cricket and the demand that places on the schedules of players.
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The financial opportunities franchise leagues like the IPL offer and how that has changed the sport.
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‘We want our best players playing for Australia as much as we can’. How does international cricket compete against franchise leagues?
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What is Pat’s decision-making process when choosing which tournaments to play?
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Interests outside of cricket and exploring the investment world:
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How important is it for Pat to have passions away from cricket?
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Pat’s experience as an angel investor and the transferable skills of professional athletes.
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Founders want increased brand awareness and content. Pat’s desire to change the expectations placed on athlete investors.
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The opportunity to build more media value and sustainability around longer-form cricket to accompany the success of the short-form game.
