, those same teammates are equally adamant that he is exactly where he should be, while the remainder of the squad forges on to Indore for the third Test.
Maria’s first encounter with cancer had taken place when Cummins was at primary school. In a 2018 column forPat Cummins at the coin toss in Delhi. He had been given the option of flying home before the match.“Mum went through all the chemo and radiation therapy. It lasted about six months. She’s one of the lucky ones,” Cummins wrote. “She came out the other side.
The following month, Cummins confirmed he would not be taking up his option to play for Kolkata in the 2023 edition of the IPL, citing a hugely demanding schedule with the India tour, England tour and ODI World Cup all part of the program. In India, Cummins was always intending to go home between the second and third Tests to spend time with Maria. The wrenching news about the decision to move into palliative care arrived after the Nagpur match.Cummins is as resilient as they come, but according to those close to him, he wrestled with the many emotions this brought to bear. Ultimately, Cummins decided that he would remain in India to see the Delhi Test through before making his visit home as planned.
“I have decided against returning to India at this time as my mother is ill and in palliative care,” Cummins told the world later on Thursday. “I feel I am best being here with my family.