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.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Name-calling now? Is that all you have left?
nics
Roar Rookie
Not sure how not agreeing with Alinta's sponsorship means they are "soft express your emotions" cricketers. Are you getting your Sky News talking points mixed up? Did you complain when we refused to tour Zimbabwe and South Africa during apartheid because it was "wokeness"? Who were the captains then perchance?
Barb Dwyer
Roar Rookie
True, nics. And those unhappy with 'wokeness' are putting themselves further out of reach of being elected
Barb Dwyer
Roar Rookie
"At the elite level, winning is what matters, nothing else." Are you not aware that this exact approach is what created the sandpaper incident and the loss of careers following this? It had built for decades where much of the Australian public despised the national team due to repeated obnoxious, bullying behaviour that led to a series of reviews. The best sports people put sport in perspective.
Barb Dwyer
Roar Rookie
Don's middle name is 'presumption.'
Davros44
Roar Rookie
I litterally cannot listen to chanell seven with the BNG commentating , to me hes like fingernails down a blckboard ...no wonder they couldnt wait to get rid of the little strange man
Barb Dwyer
Roar Rookie
Big fan of Cummins as a player and a person. Keep it up!
piru
Roar Rookie
Hey guys why don’t you just play cricket for Australia please. I tried but I am still a NZ citizen and not good enough at cricket (I'm sure the two are not connected)
piru
Roar Rookie
What people?
piru
Roar Rookie
Did you reply to the wrong comment? It'd be pretty embarrassing to attack someone's grammar using sentence fragments.
Rob Peters
Guest
I know Michael Holding has stated that one time at a hotel they were staying at there were a couple of them in an elevator and as they stopped at a floor, one guy refused to get in the elevator with them. Holding's son actually lives in Brisbane. Australia can't be that bad. If you watch the video of Wayne Daniel hitting that 6 on the last ball of an ODI you will see a shot of a few Australian women in the WI players viewing area. Then again both Sobers and Hooper married Australian women too.
Clear as mud
Guest
So much punctuation. Formatting. What a waste
piru
Roar Rookie
No
piru
Roar Rookie
I think it was the 'support' part that's confusing - what sort of person wouldn't support equality? Surely it's a given everyone supports it? It's all a bit Miss America supporting "World Peace" for me
The Bear
Guest
BLM is so 2020. It is not the latest thing anymore. What they should of done was hold a piece of blank white paper to show solidarity with those suffering under the CCP Zero Covid policy. That would be stunning and brave.
piru
Roar Rookie
I'm sure every little thing is going to be alright
piru
Roar Rookie
Happy 33rd then
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Murdoch is a Pisces: he swims both ways
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Stephanie has Aquarius 'hair'. They have the best hair. And Michelle is a Taurus who are the most beautiful women but can be so easily unobtainable. Libra is the other beautiful sign but they're too glam for me. Taurus are more 'girl next door pretty'
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I made a reply but Pravda, the KGB and MI6 are getting it to see if I'll be expunged from the Earth