The first test match of the Ashes 2023 series was won by Australia thanks to a sensational victory at the Edgbaston by a margin of two wickets. Pat Cummins (44*), who was playing a captain’s knock in the 281-run chase, contributed to the success of the visitors after they had some difficulty throughout the run chase.
Cricket fans were treated to a riveting game of Test cricket on Tuesday during the first match of the Ashes 2023 series, which took place in Edgbaston. The match culminated in an exciting victory for Australia by two wickets against England. And it was the Australian captain, Pat Cummins, who played a captain’s knock in the 281-run chase after the visitors had some difficulty on the final day of the match. Cummins scored 44 not out and performed a captain’s knock.
At the time when Cummins joined Alex Carey at the crease, the score for Australia was 209-7 and they were in a desperate position. The Australians had just lost the crucial wicket of in-form batsman Usman Khawaja (65), but Cummins maintained his composure in the face of pressure by forging partnerships with Carey (20) and Lyon (16*), which ultimately led to the Australians achieving a legendary triumph.
Pat Cummins’s ice-cold demeanour, which prompted comparisons to both ‘Captain Cool’ and ‘Mr. Cool’ MS Dhoni, caused a social media frenzy when Australia won the match thanks to him. Dhoni received widespread praise throughout his time as captain of Team India for his ability to maintain his composure under pressure, which he demonstrated both as a finisher and as a captain. The former captain of the Indian cricket team shown on multiple occasions that he was one of the best finishers in the game, and he received praise for bringing the Men in Blue to the finish line in a stylish manner.
Dhoni has mastered the skill of leading his team to victory, as seen by his legendary 183 against Sri Lanka in 2005 and his 113 not out against Pakistan in 2012, as well as his World Cup-winning 91 not out against Sri Lanka in 2011, for which he was given the title of “Captain Cool” by fans of the sport and legends of the game. To fast forward to the year 2023, Pat Cummins of Australia is receiving acclaim for leading his side to a historic win against England at Edgbaston. The exceptional cricketer demonstrated guts, determination, and most importantly – ice cold demeanour throughout the match.
Former cricket players on Twitter expressed their joy with Cummins and the Australian team’s performance because of the high level of cricket they played. Almost immediately after Cummins struck the winning runs, former India opener Virender Sehwag lauded both teams and referred to the match as “one of the best” tests that he had witnessed in recent memory. He also claimed that he had seen in recent memory.
“What a Struggle It Was. One of the very best examples that I have witnessed in recent times. The best form of cricket is the test format. Was a bold move on England’s part to proclaim victory so soon to the end of play on Day 1, especially taking into account the conditions. However, Khawaja was exceptional in both of his innings, and @patcummins30 has quickly established himself as the new Mr. Cool in test cricket. “What an innings under pressure,” Sehwag remarked, “and that partnership with Lyon was one to remember for a long time.”
Ravichandra Ashwin, one of India’s most accomplished spin bowlers, likened the current series to the Ashes in 2005, which is widely regarded as one of the best Test series in cricket’s whole history. At that point in time, England had defeated a star-studded Australian team by a score of 2-1 to win the series. This test series has the vibe of the 2005 Ashes so far. “#Ashes2023,” Ashwin stated in his tweet.
AB de Villiers, a former South African captain who has maintained a pretty active presence on his Twitter profile throughout the first Ashes Test, has sent his congratulations to both teams on what he describes as a “fantastic” game of cricket. “Wow! What an absolutely incredible match of cricket! Run rate still good! Congratulations to each winning team! The South African batting legend described test cricket as “the game at its very best.”
In a second tweet, de Villiers attempted to explain England’s declaration choice while also drawing parallels between his own captaincy and that of MS Dhoni’s in the Indian Premier League.
In the days building up to this Test match in Birmingham, I never bothered to check the forecast. It is now clear why England played the way they did. You may call it whatever you want—some people call it a bazz ball, but I prefer to refer to it as a smart cricket. “The best teams are those that are ready to adapt and play situations in a way that will ultimately put them in a winning position more often than the rest, whether that’s by making bold declarations or playing reverse sweeps a lot, whatever it takes,” De Villiers wrote. “The best teams are those that are prepared to adapt and play situations in a way that will ultimately put them in a winning position more often than the rest.”
“The only way to make it impactful is to have a complete buy in from every individual. There can be no egos involved, and there should be no players who are driven by statistics. What we need is a full on buy in to become the best team in the world.” To me, that sums up how the English squad is now playing. Also saw that with MSD and company while they were playing in the IPL,” de Villiers continued.
When they meet England in the second Test, which will begin on June 28, Australia will be looking to continue their winning ways from Edgbaston all the way to the famous Lord’s Ground. The series currently stands at 1-0 for Australia.
Fans flocked to Twitter in the meantime to praise Pat Cummins’ outstanding performance while also praising the man they believe to be cricket’s new ‘Captain Cool’: