Clarke backs Cummins as all-formats captain

Michael Clarke has long been calling for Pat Cummins to become Australia's next Test captain and now he wants the superstar to lead his country in all three formats.

Former captain Clarke has suggested the end of 2020-21 might be an ideal time for Tim Paine, who alongside Justin Langer have led Australia's recovery since the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal, to step down.

Clarke also declared the end of this year's T20 World Cup could be the right time for Aaron Finch to hand the reins over to Cummins.

Langer has previously backed Paine to lead until at least the final of the world Test championship, at Lord's in mid-2021, and Finch's position is not considered in any jeopardy.

The merits of Steve Smith reclaiming the captaincy has been publicly debated over the past year, with his leadership ban expiring at the end of this month.

It was at the start of Australia's scandal-laden tour of South Africa in 2018 that Clarke first publicly floated the idea of Cummins becoming Test skipper, long before Paine had assumed the role.

Clarke, who captained Australia in 47 Tests and 74 ODIs, can now envisage the set of circumstances in which fast bowler Cummins is promoted to call the shots in all three national teams.

"Tim Paine's done a wonderful job, there's no doubt about it, and I think he's earned the right to continue to captain Australia until it's time for him to retire," Clarke said on Big Sports Breakfast.

"Tim is 34 or 35 and I imagine he will be thinking about that after this Australian summer.

"I imagine if Australia can win there (during a home series against India) that's an ideal time for Tim to walk away on top."

Clarke added the team "need one captain across all three formats" and the obvious candidate is Cummins.

"He reads the game really well," he said.

"Yes, he's an opening bowler but he can bat. He's brilliant in the field.

"He sees the game how a captain needs to."

Cummins, who endured a horror stretch on the injury front after an eye-catching Test debut at age 18 in 2011, has become remarkably resilient in recent years.

Since March 2017, no paceman in the world has bowled more deliveries across all international matches.

"There's always been a lot of talk about a bowler being captain, and generally that's because the bowlers get injured," Clarke said.

"Pat has shown that he's fit, he's healthy, he can play all three formats.

"His body has now matured into a position where he'll be on the pitch as much as any batsman."

Australia's Qantas Tour of South Africa 2020

Australia T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitch Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (vc), Pat Cummins (vc), Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

First T20: Australia won by 107 runs

Second T20: South Africa won by 12 runs

Third T20: Australia won by 97 runs

First ODI: South Africa won by 74 runs

Second ODI: March 4 at Bloemfontein (D/N). 10pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo

Third ODI: March 7 at Potchefstroom. 7pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo