Pat Cummins' baggy green vanishes mysteriously right after Australia skipper ditches deep-rooted 'cap' tradition
Australia captain Pat Cummins has found himself in an unusual off-field predicament during the ongoing Test series against the West Indies. In what appears to be a case of unfortunate timing and baffling mystery, Cummins' brand-new Baggy Green cap, a cherished emblem of Australian Test cricket, reportedly went missing just hours before the series opener in Barbados. Australia's Pat Cummins reacts during the WTC Final earlier this month(Action Images via Reuters)
Cummins had arrived for a pre-series photoshoot alongside West Indies captain Roston Chase, sporting the new cap, which he had chosen to debut instead of repairing his original one from 2011. That original cap, issued to him ahead of his Test debut against South Africa, had endured years of wear and weather, prompting the skipper to seek a fresh start with a new Albion-made version, one of the last manufactured before the cap-making rights shifted to Kookaburra in 2016.
Cummins' act of getting a new baggy green was also seen as a break of tradition in Australian cricket. Several former greats, including Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting, and David Warner, chose to wear their original Baggy Green caps throughout their careers, embracing the wear and tear as a mark of pride.
However, according to a report from The Daily Telegraph, Cummins' new cap vanished sometime between the team photo session and the toss. With no trace of it found, the Aussie skipper was left with no option but to pull out his old, worn-out Baggy Green, the same cap he had decided to retire, for the opening Test. It was this weathered cap that sat atop his head as he led Australia to a commanding 159-run victory at Kensington Oval. Cummins' performances intact
Wardrobe hiccup aside, Cummins continued to deliver on the field. The pacer claimed three wickets in the match, supporting Josh Hazlewood, who bagged a five-wicket haul in the second innings to dismantle the West Indies lineup.
Interestingly, Cummins isn't the only Australian player to experience such a loss. David Warner had previously made a public plea on social media when his own Baggy Green went missing last year after his luggage was stolen. Similarly, cricketing great Greg Chappell once appealed to the public after his cap vanished from a Brisbane storage unit.
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