Pat Cummins' message to Barmy Army after touching gesture for mother

The cricket world has been moved by a stunning gesture for Pat Cummins from well-known England fan group the Barmy Army, after the Australian skipper was forced to return home from India. Cummins will likely miss the remaining two Test of the series against India, returning home to be by his mother's side as she enters palliative care.

In a video shared on social media, the Barmy Army's trumpeter played the song 'Maria' from the nusical West Side Story, wishing the Cummins family the best and adding they hoped to see the Australian skipper in England later this year for the Ashes. It was a touching moment from Australia's heated rivals, and one which was greatly appreciated by the skipper.

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“This is amazing The Barmy Army, thank you. Mum loved watching this and felt very touched,” Cummins wrote on Twitter as he shared the video. "Wow, we have tears. Big love Patty," the Barmy Army replied, with their team in the midst of a series against New Zealand.

Steve Smith will take over as captain in Cummins' absence. The star quick will be given as much time as he needs to be around his family, potentially also ruling him out of the fourth and final Test of the series.

Fellow Test fast bowler Mitchell Starc has plenty of empathy for Cummins, having with his father's declining health and trying to perform against a gritty Indian team during the summer of 2020/21. Starc's father Paul died about a month after Australia lost the final Test of that classic series at the Gabba.

"Having been through a similar situation recently, it's a hard place to be trying to get your head around playing international cricket and for him to captain at the same time when you mind might be back home or with your family," Starc said in Indore on Monday.

"It's hard enough being in a COVID bubble in the same country, let alone being overseas and having to captain international cricket. Pat's a very resilient and strong character and I'm sure he was going through some stuff silently.

"He's exactly where he needs to be now to give his love and support to his family around him. I can only imagine that it would have been incredibly hard being over here with obviously a lot of noise back home."

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Cummins, who was this week dethroned by star England veteran James Anderson as the world's No.1 ranked Test bowler, suffered some criticism for his bowling and captaincy during the first two matches.

The star quick also played a rash slog sweep to be bowled first ball during Australia's calamitous second innings collapse in Delhi. It was only when Australia confirmed Cummins would not be playing in the third Test that he revealed the extent of his family situation.

Starc said the Australian squad were doing their best to support Cummins and his family from afar."We are sons, partners, fathers first, people first, and cricketers second," Starc said.

"He has the complete support of the group. It's been tough to see him go through it from afar, so nice for him to get the opportunity for him to go home and be around family to support the rest of his family and go through that not being overseas at the same time."

with AAP

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