Former Test accelerated bowler Geoff Lawson has dismissed concerns that captain-in-waiting Pat Cummins volition request to beryllium rested during the upcoming Ashes series, saying his assignment is simply a "no-brainer."
The 28-year-old is the unbackable favourite to regenerate Tim Paine for the Ashes series, aft Paine stood down connected Friday.
While the archetypal lucifer is acceptable down for December 8, Cricket Australia is yet to uncover a timetable for the announcement of a caller skipper, simply confirming implicit the play that a "very thorough, and rather speedy process" is underway.
Lawson, who played 46 Tests for Australia, is the astir experienced fast-bowling skipper successful Sheffield Shield history, having led New South Wales successful 36 matches betwixt 1988-1992.
He pointed to Cummins' singular durability since helium returned to the Test broadside successful 2017, during which he's played successful 33 of Australia's 35 matches, missing lone Australia's two-Test bid against Pakistan successful the Middle East successful October 2018.
Cummins was the lone Australian accelerated bowler to play successful each 5 matches of the 2019 Ashes, delivering much balls successful the bid than immoderate subordinate from either broadside isolated from off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
It's wherefore Lawson isn't acrophobic astir the anticipation of Cummins needing a rest.
"We'll transverse that span erstwhile we get to it," helium told Wide World of Sports.
"The archetypal Test is truthful important. In truthful galore ways, it's triumph the archetypal Test and re-assess. If helium gets injured, good helium gets injured. Pat's been truthful resilient since helium returned to the broadside successful 2017.
"A breached digit oregon a busted ankle, it tin hap to anyone. But Australian cricket volition conscionable person to beryllium much flexible.
"It's not beforehand of caput for me, Pat's not an injury-prone subordinate immoderate more. He's been fantastic since his past backmost problem."
The anticipation that the fast-bowler mightiness request a remainder during a bid which volition spot 5 Tests played implicit a 42-day agelong volition marque the assignment of his vice-captain adjacent much important.
It's hardly unprecedented successful Australian cricket for the vice-captain to instrumentality complaint for a abbreviated period, with Adam Gilchrist captaining Australia successful six Test matches during the reigns of Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting.
Shane Watson led Australia successful a Test successful 2013, portion erstwhile skipper Steve Smith's archetypal captaincy stint came erstwhile Michael Clarke was injured.
Smith and prima batter Marnus Labuschagne person been mentioned arsenic imaginable deputies, but Lawson says there's truly lone 1 enactment if a short-term replacement for Cummins is needed.
"Right present I don't spot Marnus arsenic being captaincy worldly successful immoderate way, signifier oregon form," helium said.
"He's a precise good batsman, but astatine this signifier I don't deliberation he's successful contention, truthful lets determination connected from that.
"But Smith arsenic vice-captain is simply a bully call, due to the fact that if Cummins gets injured astatine immoderate constituent astatine slightest you've laid the foundations for Smith to beryllium recalled.
"It kills 2 birds with 1 stone, there's plentifulness of upside successful giving Smith the vice-captaincy."
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