A 4-0 Ashes series victory was the near-perfect start for Pat Cummins' tenure as Australia's Test captain.
The star paceman led by example throughout the course of the summer, claiming the most wickets with 21 to his name from four matches.
Having stepped into the role as skipper and facing some external questions as to whether a bowler can efficiently lead Australia in the red-ball format, Cummins revealed he too had some reservations in being able to balance his own planning with team tactics.
"It was probably my biggest worry accepting the role as captain – that I’m in the team as a bowler and I want to make sure that’s protected and I’m able to perform as well as I’d like," Cummins told media on Sunday.
"I felt with each game I felt better at managing that.
"I could switch off, take off the captain’s hat and just be a bowler for my overs. Even things around bowling changes and moving fields – I felt I got better at managing that as the series went on."
"That’s a hugely pleasing thing."
With his English counterpart in Joe Root enduring a horror summer down under, the pair's juxtaposition was enlarged given Root had recently surpassed the record of most Tests as captain of England, while Cummins' spell with the proverbial armband was in its infancy.
Root's abysmal record in Australia only continued as the 30-year-old faced ongoing calls to soon step aside from his post as skipper, however no clear successor firms for the role.
The tourists failed to impress in their trip to the Southern Hemisphere, facing constant batting collapses across both the top and middle order.
To perhaps make matters worse after the defeat in Hobart, Cummins may have offered a slight dig toward the English camp, suggesting his development as captain may be better tested in matches that last the allocated five days.
"It might be difficult in the heat or longer innings but I feel it’s something I’m only going to get better at," Cummins added.
"There more scrutiny on a captain but as for the role on the field it’s manageable. You just have to be across a little more. The role is big and important but perhaps not as all-encompassing as I thought it might be when I first took it on."
Australia will turn their attention to a tour of Pakistan in March following their stunning Ashes series, which saw middle-order batsman Travis Head awarded Player of the Series.
The 4-0 victory has also boded well for Australia's ICC World Test Championship prospects, with Cummins' side currently placed second to Sri Lanka on 52 points at a percentage of 86.66.
