Skipper says no cowards in side
PAT Cummins has declared “there are no cowards in the Australian cricket team” as the Test captain expressed disappointment at Justin Langer’s explosive podcast comments.
Cummins used his prematch press conference in Perth to defend his dressing room and also made it clear he didn’t approve of his former coach airing the nature of their private conversations.
The most controversial part of Langer’s podcast commentary last week centred on
a line where he stated that he would change the word “source” to “coward” to describe anyone who went behind his back to leak to newspapers.
Langer clarified in a later interview with Channel 7 that he was not referring to players when he used the word “cowards”, an explanation Cummins said was necessary.
“There’s no cowards in the Australian cricket team, not ever,” said Cummins on Tuesday.
“I thank Justin for I guess clarifying his remarks afterwards.
“I think he had a think about it and clarified it, so thank him for that.
“But 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.
“Players can certainly hold their heads high.”
Cummins was respectful of his former coach and said he was looking forward to seeing Langer at a Test match ground where he has a grandstand named after him, but did not appreciate the disclosure of what he thought were private conversations or the timing of them in the week of the Test.
“I’d probably never disclose private conversations, but you’d have to ask Justin,” said Cummins.
“I think there’s no ill will to what he was trying to do and he clarified afterwards.
“We always like to talk about the cricket.
“I feel like there’s so many good things going on at the moment, especially this Test team number one in the world and had a fantastic 12 months.
“Coming over here to play the first Test match in Perth for a few years, there’s so many good stories around the week.
‘I think it’s disappointing sometimes the focus gets drawn to off-field issues but it hasn’t really affected our team.
“I’m looking forward to seeing him as well. He’ll be in and around here commentating so it’ll be good.”
Cummins confirmed Australia’s XI for the first Test against the West Indies would be full strength and, as expected, with Scott Boland and Marcus Harris the two squad members to miss out.