Pat Cummins: Grace and Leadership Shine

A note to young leaders.

Leadership requires you to accept more than your fair share of the blame in defeat; and requires you to give away more than your fair share of the credit in victory.

Pat Cummins showed his class as captain last night when – in the euphoria immediately following Australia’s remarkable Ashes victory in which Pat played a very significant hand – he had the presence of mind, when embracing Usman Khawaja, to whisper in Usman’s ear: “This is your test, this is your test.”

It would have been easy for Pat to bask in all the glory, especially so soon after hitting the winning runs – but he chose the higher path.

It’s not the first time Pat has shown grace as captain during a team celebration. He also showed us what inclusive leadership is all about during the 2019 Ashes celebration, by being sensitive to Usman’s Muslim beliefs.
In victory, magnanimity. Hats off, Pat Cummins.