"The captaincy is going to change a little bit here and there" - Shane Watson on Australia's one-day setup

Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson admitted that the national team's ODI captaincy will be a revolving door due to Pat Cummins' appointment at the helm. Watson's statement followed after Steve Smith took charge in the recent ODI series against India and did a commendable job.

Cummins, appointed as Test captain after Tim Paine stepped down, was also given the reins of the one-day side after Aaron Finch's retirement from the format. While the 29-year-old did not play the ODI series in India due to family reasons, his workload also requires management from time to time, given he is a fast bowler with a sketchy injury history.

Speaking to Sportstar, the Queenslander stated that Cummins might not be able to play every game due to continuous cricket in the next few months. Hence, he reckons the presence of David Warner and Steve Smith is handy as they can step in whenever required and guide him.

"For Pat Cummins, to be able to play every game for Australia is impossible. There is so much big cricket on for the Australian team over the next six months. But when Pat’s fit and playing, he is a great leader. He is such a calm influence on the cricket field. To have Steve Smith and David Warner’s voices around will help guide him. The captaincy is going to change a little bit here and there when you’ve got a fast-bowling captain and you have to manage the amount of cricket he plays."

When asked whether the likes of Mitchell Starc and Cummins are likely to prioritize one format in the near future, Watson said he hopes it doesn't happen but feels the management will take the call depending on if it's a World Cup year.

"These guys have got such great skill across formats. When they are at their best, they are as good as any bowler in the world. I wouldn’t want them to specialise in just one format of the game, for example in Test cricket. The management will mainly be around if there is a World Cup year, one-day or T20, then the priority is going to be to make sure they are fit and firing for those big tournaments. If there is an Ashes or a big Test series, then they need to make sure they manage that as well. I always want to watch the best cricketers playing in all formats when they are available."

Starc and Cummins will have a massive role to play in this year's World Test Championship (WTC) final in England, followed by the 2023 World Cup in India. Starc showed glimpses of his best form in the recently concluded ODI series against India.

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"Australia have got riches of talent and depth because of their all-rounders" - Shane Watson

Commenting on Australia's depth, Watson stated that Cummins should start in the line-up if his form holds up. The 41-year-old weighed in on Marcus Stoinis' batting position and felt he could come in at either No. 4 or No. 6, adding:

"If Pat’s bowling incredibly well, then he is one of the first to be picked. Australia have got riches of talent and depth because of their all-rounders. To be able to have Marcus Stoinis, who is a match-winner with the bat, batting at No. 8, that is very low. He can bat at No. 4 to 6 in any international team in the world. It’s a great problem to have. That’s a big challenge, like it was with the Australian team in the 2000s when they were so dominant and had such a long batting lineup."

Watson will join the Delhi Capitals for IPL 2023 as their assistant coach.