Pat Cummins has revealed the emotional toll his elevation to the Australian captaincy took on him and his wife Becky.
Cummins, 31, is entering into his fourth summer as Australia’s Test captain and will be looking to win a five-Test series against India, who have triumphed on their past two tours to Australia.
The fast bowler was given the captaincy after Tim Paine stepped down in 2021, just weeks out from the home Ashes series, which Australia won 4-0.
Watch every ball of Australia v Pakistan T20I Series LIVE & exclusive to FOX CRICKET, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.
In his new book Tested, Cummins interviews various Aussie figures including former prime minster Julia Gillard, America’s Cup winner John Bertrand, ex-cricketer Dennis Lillee and Nedd Brockmann — covering themes of leadership and bouncing back from failure.
In one chapter he interviews his wife Becky and they discuss the tumultuous time when she gave birth to their first child, son Albie, in 2021 before Cummins had to dash to the UAE to play the T20 World Cup just days later.
“I had to leave Becky and our son four days after the birth. A few weeks later, I was named Test captain,” Cummins writes in Tested.
“We arrived home from the hospital on the day you left and I remember walking in on you sobbing on the floor while you were packing your bags,” Becky recalls.
“All I could think of was: “Why is he so emotional? We are going to be fine. It’s not a big deal. “When I finally arrived in Brisbane in November for the start of the (Ashes) series, we had two blissful days together before Pat was made Test captain.”
In a raw admission, Becky said she felt her husband being made captain just after was “sh*t timing”.
“It was an amazing thing to happen, and so deserved, but it also felt like my world had just crumbled,” Becky says in Tested.
“I had no control over anything. This baby was supposed to be the most important thing in our life, and I all I wanted was for us to be together to enjoy him. [Your] new role was all 스포츠토토사이트 anybody was talking about. I was so proud but also felt a bit hollow.
“You stepped up to the task and were absolutely amazing. I knew you were the best man for the job and this was your time to shine, but what absolutely sh*t timing.
“I often thought how selfish it was for me to be thinking like that.
“I was only a few weeks post partum and physically and mentally exhausted, but I will never forget the moment I realised that I just had to go home and do it alone. I had to, because if Albie and I stayed with him, it would break his heart and also his concentration.
“He couldn’t be captain and a young father in that moment and I felt the best thing to do was let him captain.”