Australia captain Pat Cummins celebrates after dismissing Khaya Jondo of South Africa during the 3rd Cricket Test match between Australia and South Africa at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Sydney on January 7, 2023. photo credit: AFP
Australia’s Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins has rejected claims that Cricket Australia lost A$40 million in sponsorship from Alinta Energy because of his views on environmental issues.
A week before Australia tour India for the Border-Gavaskar series, Cummins is yet again embroiled in an old controversy that started in October last year when he refused to appear in any advertisement for the sponsor. Had given.
Reports in SMH then stated that the fast bowler had a meeting with Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive Nick Hockley, expressing “concerns over the national side’s deal with Alinta Energy”.
Alinta Energy then decided not to renew its sponsorship after June 2023 due to a “change in its brand strategy”, CA said in a statement in October 2022.
Cummins indicated on Tuesday that his position as captain has made him vulnerable to controversies.
Cummins told News Corp, ‘The position I am in, you get dragged into different things.
“It was one of those moments that you have to live with – people you don’t even know have opinions about you. People in my generation and around it are passionate about different things. Some people can’t leave those values at the door,” said Cummins, who will arrive in India next week for the four-Test series starting February 9 in Nagpur.
Earlier in October last year, Cummins had said that there is no harm in expressing one’s views as one has to maintain balance while taking decisions.
Cummins had said, “It’s always been a balance. We’ve seen some players make decisions based on religion, or they eat certain foods, where they won’t partner with specific partners.”
“Each organization has a responsibility to do what’s right for the sport and what they think is right for the organization and, I hope, society going forward.
“It’s a balance when you decide about who you are going to welcome into the cricket family,” he added.