Tim Murtagh bats for bowlers’ captaincy in international cricket

Former Ireland pacer Tim Murtagh believes that specialist bowlers should be entrusted more with the captaincy role.

Murtagh wants a change in the traditional approach of teams assigning leadership to the batters. 

The veteran Irish seamer reckoned that bowlers can also lead a side with utmost success. To justify his point, he cited the example of the Australian Test skipper Pat Cummins, who's been relishing the captaincy role since succeeding Tim Paine.

"(Pat) Cummins has done the job to good effect, so maybe people are now thinking more outside the box in terms of letting bowlers do the job," Murtagh said.

Being a bowler himself, Murtagh said a bowler has a better feel for the game, and they can have more involvement in the game with their inputs.

"A bowler out on the field probably has a better feel for the game while it's going on in terms of conditions, the wicket, and tactics," the Irishman said. "I think bowlers are having more of an input," he added. 

In the County Championship last year, Murtagh guided Middlesex to four consecutive victories and resumed after Peter Handscomb's departure in May. He's one of only two seamers in the circuit currently in charge of domestic red-ball sides.

Murtagh has picked 783 wickets for Middlesex, establishing himself as one of the Club's most consistent bowlers since joining it in 2007.

Recalling his early days with the Club, Murtagh stressed that he should've taken the reins when it was offered to him earlier. 

"I look back a bit and think maybe I should have pushed my name forward when the job has come up over the 15 years I've been at the Club," Murtagh said. 

However, the Middlesex skipper revealed that he has enjoyed his role as the captain of the Club and expected more bowlers to take up the same job in the near future.

"I've really enjoyed the games I've done, and I think you'll see a few more bowlers doing it now," the Lambeth-born concluded.