The Australian team will wear black arm bands on Friday to honour Pat Cummins’ mother Maria who passed away following a battle with cancer.
The captain returned home following the second Test to be with his mother who had been battling the illness in palliative care.
The Daily Telegraph reports Cummins informed teammates and friends of the news on Friday.
The Australian Cricket team issued a statement confirming the news.
“We are deeply saddened at the passing of Maria Cummins overnight. On behalf of Australian Cricket, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Pat, the Cummins family and their friends. “The Australian Men’s team will today wear black armbands as a mark of respect.”
LEGEND’S SHOCK SMITH RETIREMENT CALL
Australia Test legend Mark Waugh says he believes Steve Smith could stun the cricket world and retires “overnight”.
Smith, who looked set for a big score before chopping on to Ravindra Jadeja for 38 on day one of the fourth Test, made headlines this week when he said he was unlikely to return to India when Australia next tours the subcontinent in four years’ time.
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Khawaja’s stellar Day One | 02:19
Waugh, however, said the superstar could call time much earlier.
“It’s interesting, a few times Steve Smith has mentioned retirement on this Tour down the line. It wouldn’t surprise me if he just overnight gives up,” Waugh said on Fox Cricket.
Former Aussie Test keeper Brad Haddin agreed.
“I’m with you Junior. He also said it during the Australian summer,” Haddin said.
“He said it a few times, like, ‘Oh, I probably haven’t got as many games as people think left in me’. He mentioned it again before this Test match. Worrying signs.”
Former Aussie fast-bowler Brendon Julian said an early Smith retirement could leave a massive hole in the Australian team with David Warner and Usman Khawaja in the final stages of their careers.
“It would be (big shoes) if they both went at the same time and it looks at the moment they’re not going to be too far apart,” Waugh replied.
“Steve Smith’s already said it, so it’s not like I’m making something up. I hope he doesn’t. He’s still a great player and he’s got years in front of him. But at the end of the day, he’s a quirky character.”
‘Didn’t feel like the team supported me’ | 00:52
INDIAN GREAT CALLS OUT HOSTS AS GAMBLE BACKFIRES
Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar has taken aim at Rohit Sharma’s side after a new-ball gamble failed to pay off on day one of the fourth Test in Ahmedabad
Sharma opted to take the second new ball following the dismissal of Peter Handscomn, sensing an opportunity to expose Australia’s long tail.
But it backfired as Cameron Green and centurion Usman Khawaja took Australia to close on 4-255.
Gavaksar said India would be “disappointed” with their efforts.
“ Particularly after having taken the second new ball, to concede the number of runs they did, and the number of boundaries they did,” he told Star Sports.
“It was almost as if the Australians broke free when the second new ball was taken.
The first couple of overs we saw from our new ball bowlers. That’s not what you want to see when you’ve got a brand new ball in your hand, the effort could have been better.”
India XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, KS Bharat (wk), R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami
Australia XI: Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Peter Handscomb, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Matthew Kuhnemann
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