"My head was back home with Mum" - Pat Cummins recalls tough times during India vs Australia Tests
Australian captain Pat Cummins recently recalled the Test series in India earlier this year, claiming that he couldn't properly concentrate on the assignment due to his ailing mother back home. Cummins reflected that it was nice to spend a couple of weeks with his mother before she passed away.
The 30-year-old left for home after Australia's defeats in the first two Tests of the series to be with his mother, who had breast cancer. He hoped to return in time for the third Test but decided to stay back. Cummins' mother eventually passed away during the fourth Test, prompting him to skip the subsequent ODI series as well.
Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald, the right-arm pacer lauded his players for their incredible support throughout and revealed that he didn't even watch the final two Tests.
"I must say I look back at that tour and it is all a bit of a blur. My head wasn’t in India, my head was back home with Mum and the family. But the boys were fantastic. I couldn’t have asked for any more support, and to be able to get home and have the last couple of weeks with Mum was special. I’m so glad I did that, and to be honest, I didn’t really watch too much of the last two Test matches."
The New South Welshman admitted that 2023 has proven to be a massive year and credited the Australian players for fighting through everything to make it memorable.
"These four tours don’t get any bigger. India into WTC, into Ashes, into the World Cup. [I’m] really proud, if we go back to the Ashes, about how the group conducted themselves the whole time. You’re dealing with fatigue, you’re dealing with form, pressure, I thought the boys were fantastic the way they conducted themselves. To then go into a World Cup after that big of a year and still be able to peak, that just adds even more to what made that win so special."
While Australia lost the Test series against India, they went on to beat them in the WTC final. They followed it up by retaining the Ashes and capped it off by lifting the 50-over World Cup for the sixth time.
"I think it sounds like 2027 is the next big one" - Pat Cummins
Cummins took a minute to ponder over the future and is of the opinion that 2027 will yet again be a massive year for Australia, but isn't too sure of being around. He added:
"It’s funny what years you bookmark. So 2011 was the year after I finished school and debuted. In 2015, the World Cup win. Then 2017 was the year I started playing all formats again. I remember 2019 was a huge year. Then I was thinking after that, ‘OK, 2023 we’ve got the same huge year; a World Cup and an Ashes, plus an India tour’. So four years out really, and I think it sounds like 2027 is the next big one; away Ashes, World Cup and India again. That seems forever away now."
Cummins will next be seen in action during the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan at the MCG, starting on Tuesday.