The Ashes: Pat Cummins set to lean on Steve Smith and Dave Warner for leadership in field, says Justin Langer

Steve Smith and David Warner will assume official and unofficial leadership roles this Ashes series with new captain Pat Cummins urged to heavily consult the shrewd batters when Australia is in the field. Coach Justin Langer will feed Cummins all the analytical “gold nuggets” — such as key bowling match-ups — but Cummins will then share the on-field tactical decisions rather than attempt to run the show on his own. Smith, 32, is likely to act as the de facto captain at times as Cummins sweats through his gruelling bowling workloads during long days in the field. “I think the role of Steve Smith will become very important on the field,” Langer said on Saturday. “Steve Smith is the formal vice-captain, David Warner has got as good a cricket brain (as there is) in the game (and) Alex Carey has been a captain before and now he’s behind the stumps. “He’s got his three best mates there, the bowlers (Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon), they’ll all have a view on it. “So he’ll be fine strategically I think. He’s got lots of support around him. “It’ll just be maintaining the balance of everything else that goes with it with his bowling load and then captaining and all the commitments that come with that. “So we’ll keep an eye on that.” All eyes will be on how Cummins rotates his bowlers, where he fields and who he asks for advice when he walks on to the Gabba as Australia’s 47th Test captain on Wednesday. Smith was announced as vice-captain last week after serving Cricket Australia’s two-year leadership ban, but Warner was slugged with a lifetime leadership ban for his involvement in the 2018 sandpaper scandal. Shane Warne said last the Smith and Warner sanctions should’ve aligned and if they were both eligible then Warner would’ve been a better choice as Cummins’ understudy. “He’s got the best cricket brain in the team,” Warne said. “I’ve watched him captain in the IPL, I’ve watched him captain Big Bash games, I’ve watched him captain on the field at times, I’ve spoken to him a lot. “He’s a very, very good leader and a very good cricket brain.” Cummins has never been rested from a Test and the 28-year-old privately expects to soldier through all five matches over the next seven weeks. Langer said Cummins’ workload would be aided by giving all-rounder Cameron Green some key overs and calling on Marnus Labuschagne’s handy leg-spin. “To be honest in my 10 years as a coach I’ve never had anyone come to me and say, ‘I need one off’,” Langer said. “He’s got massive upside. There’s your headline — Pat’s got massive upside as a leader and as a captain of Australian cricket. “He’s an outstanding person as we know, he’s an elite player — a world-class player — (and) he’s a great person.”