Australia's Test and ODI skipper, Pat Cummins' mother, Maria Cummins passed away overnight in Sydney due to cancer, according to information reaching here on Friday, 10 March. She was undergoing palliative care in a hospital in Sydney.
"We are deeply saddened at the passing of Maria Cummins overnight," said Cricket Australia in a statement. "On behalf of Australian Cricket, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Pat, the Cummins family and their friends."
The Australian cricketers playing the 2023 Border Gavaskar Trophy are wearing black armbands as a tribute to her on the second day of the fourth and final Test of the series here.
Cummins had returned home after Australia's second Test defeat in New Delhi to remain in Sydney to be at the side of his mother who is in palliative care due to breast cancer. Steve Smith is leading the Australian team in India in Cummins' absence.
Steve Smith Continues To Lead in Pat Cummins’ Absence
Cummins had returned to Australia to be at his mother's side after her condition worsened. Initially, he was expected to return to India for the third Test at Indore but decided against that. A couple of days back, Cricket Australia announced that he will miss the Ahmedabad Test too and Smith will lead the team instead.
In his contact with the team camp in Ahmedabad over recent days, Australian media has reported that Cummins relayed the fact that he had felt incredibly supported in making the call to leave the tour after the Delhi Test to be by Maria's side, missing the matches in Indore and Ahmedabad as a consequence.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)