Pat Cummins has defended his decision to compete in India’s lucrative Premier League, despite the Australian captain stepping back from domestic duties up front.
Cummins is one of four Australians not to take part in the next round of cleanouts against Pakistan, in a move that did not sit well with former fly-half Matthew Hayden.
Hayden criticized players who “picked the cherry” when available, and called for their salaries to be docked accordingly.
But Cummins said his decision to forfeit the series against Pakistan was part of his workload management.
“I can understand some people looking at it and seeing it differently. The reality is we play 12 months a year,” he told ABC radio.
“If you can find a week somewhere where you can recharge, hopefully that will pay dividends – even if not right away.
“The reality of this decision is that we are playing three Test matches in just over 20 days, 15 days of cricket, really back to back.
“Then with three one-day days after that, it’s a pretty heavy workload.”
Cummins said given the current COVID and security conditions surrounding the first tour of Pakistan in 24 years, the players had to take a break.
“We have travel days where basically the whole day is taken up with travel,” he said.
“These are times when you’re just locked in a hotel room. You are either in a hotel room, on a bus or on the ground.
“There are a lot of guys flying out (from Australia for the tour) who won’t be back until the end of July.
“It all adds up.”
Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, David Warner and Glenn Maxwell, who have been signed for the IPL, will all be absent from the white-ball series against Pakistan.
Maxwell will miss attending her wedding.
Hayden was the most vocal critic of the quartet’s absence, saying the move “doesn’t pass the pub test”.
“I still think you can’t have your cake and eat it,” he said.
“If you’re not available to play for Australia, there has to be some responsibility. You shouldn’t be paid for a job you’re not doing and you should have to sacrifice your salary.
“People will say I played IPL, which is true, but it never had an effect on my availability to play for Australia.”
The four Australians will not be allowed to play a game for their IPL franchises until Australia’s final game in Pakistan on April 5.
The players were given leave from April 6 and received no-objection certificates from Cricket Australia.
