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Test captain Pat Cummins fired back at critics of the Australian cricket team while responding to former coach Justin Langer’s claim that he’d been undermined by dressing-room leaks by saying “there are no cowards” in the Australian team.
Cummins fronted the media in Perth on Tuesday to discuss preparations for the first Test against the West Indies which starts at Optus Stadium on Wednesday and was asked about Langer’s controversial podcast comments.
The former coach claimed Cummins and fellow skippers Tim Paine and Aaron Finch had been reluctant to discuss issues with him while also blasting unnamed “cowards” who had given information to the media about problems in the team.
Langer then said in a later interview that he had no problems with Cummins or any members of the team.
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“There are no cowards in an Australian cricket team. Not ever. I thank Justin for clarifying his remarks afterwards. I think he had a think about it and clarified it,” Cummins told reporters in Perth.
(Photo by Getty Images)
“We’re really proud of the last 12 months, how we’ve fronted up, the way we’ve played, the way we’ve conducted ourselves so the players can certainly hold their heads high.
“I will never disclose private conversations but you’d have to ask Justin. There was no ill will to what he was trying to do.”
Cummins confirmed the first Test XI would be as expected with Josh Hazlewood returning to the bowling attack after he was not used in the most recent series in Sri Lanka, leaving Scott Boland and Marcus Harris as the reserves in the 13-man squad.
When asked if the players had become “too woke” after he and other senior squad members had expressed concerns about major sponsor Alinta Energy’s carbon footprint, Cummins gave a wry smile before saying he was nonplussed by critics.
“I think in this position you’re always going to upset people no matter whether you do or don’t do something,” he said.
“That’s fine. I know what I signed up for but I also think we’re cricket players but you can’t leave your values at the door. People stand for different things.
“Taking a knee this week, we’re doing it for the West Indies, supporting equality. Anyone who says that’s a bad thing, I’m not too bothered about.”
There has been a feeling that the Australian cricket team has an image problem with relatively small crowd numbers for their T20 World Cup matches and the three-match ODI series against England but Cummins said they thought they had received “loads of support” from fans throughout the country.
“I know there’s been some conjecture but I think it camouflages over a lot of the good stuff that’s been going on, the support we’ve been receiving.”
Australian XI: Pat Cummins (c), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (v-c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, reserves: Scott Boland, Marcus Harris.
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