‘Sobbing on the floor’: Pat Cummins’ wife makes raw family admission

Pat Cummins and his wife have revealed some emotional private moments about the harsh reality of being Australian cricket captain.

Pat Cummins has revealed the emotional toll his elevation to the Australian captaincy took on him and his wife Becky.

Cummins, 31, is entering into his fourth summer as Australia’s Test captain and will be looking to win a five-Test series against India, who have triumphed on their past two tours to Australia.

The fast bowler was given the captaincy after Tim Paine stepped down in 2021, just weeks out from the home Ashes series, which Australia won 4-0.

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In his new book Tested, Cummins interviews various Aussie figures including former prime minster Julia Gillard, America’s Cup winner John Bertrand, ex-cricketer Dennis Lillee and Nedd Brockmann — covering themes of leadership and bouncing back from failure.

In one chapter he interviews his wife Becky and they discuss the tumultuous time when she gave birth to their first child, son Albie, in 2021 before Cummins had to dash to the UAE to play the T20 World Cup just days later.

“I had to leave Becky and our son four days after the birth. A few weeks later, I was named Test captain,” Cummins writes in Tested.

“We arrived home from the hospital on the day you left and I remember walking in on you sobbing on the floor while you were packing your bags,” Becky recalls.

“All I could think of was: “Why is he so emotional? We are going to be fine. It’s not a big deal.

“When I finally arrived in Brisbane in November for the start of the (Ashes) series, we had two blissful days together before Pat was made Test captain.”

Pat and Becky Cummins. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images for Cricket Australia)

Pat Cummins was made Test captain in 2021. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

In a raw admission, Becky said she felt her husband being made captain just after was “sh*t timing”.

“It was an amazing thing to happen, and so deserved, but it also felt like my world had just crumbled,” Becky says in Tested.

“I had no control over anything. This baby was supposed to be the most important thing in our life, and I all I wanted was for us to be together to enjoy him. [Your] new role was all anybody was talking about. I was so proud but also felt a bit hollow.

“You stepped up to the task and were absolutely amazing. I knew you were the best man for the job and this was your time to shine, but what absolutely sh*t timing.

“I often thought how selfish it was for me to be thinking like that.

“I was only a few weeks post partum and physically and mentally exhausted, but I will never forget the moment I realised that I just had to go home and do it alone. I had to, because if Albie and I stayed with him, it would break his heart and also his concentration.

“He couldn’t be captain and a young father in that moment and I felt the best thing to do was let him captain.”

Pat and Becky Cummins with son Albie. Picture: Mark Stewart

“Two of the biggest life moments for me were running parallel to each other,” Cummins told news.com.au of becoming a dad and Australian captain at the same time.

“I felt like they were new worlds I needed to navigate and were going to take my whole bandwidth, but they happened at the same time.

“Becky was amazing in her support, looking after Albie who was a matter of weeks old, just being really supportive.

She took on a massive workload so I could chase my dream playing and captaining Australia.

Becky and I have been together 10 or so years.

“She has an amazing way of bring great perspective — not letting me get too big for my boots or putting an arm around me pumping me up when I need it.

“In our world we play all year round, year after year. You’ve got to find a rhythm you can maintain for multiple years. That gets challenged when you start having kids, but in a great way.

“I’ve gotten better at once a day’s play is finished, putting that to one side and going straight into dad and family mode. It makes me a better cricketer and captain as well, I’m less worried about some of the ups and downs within cricket.”

Pat Cummins has written a book called Tested. Photo: HarperCollins.

Cummins has led Australia during a period of stability. (Photo by Sanka Vidanagama / AFP)

The couple met a decade ago when Becky visited Sydney from the UK, and the rest is history. They are now expecting their second child.

“I recognise now that it’s only Becky’s love, strength and sacrifice that I can continue touring, playing and succeeding as I have been,” Cummins says in his book.

He added his “goals beyond cricket are intertwined with my life with Becky, and I credit her for the idea that I have to be the same man on the field, at home, at the pub and in the media”.

Cummins and Becky opened up about the life of being a full-time professional cricketer, saying life on the road isn’t quite as glamorous as it’s made out to be.

“At first I enjoyed the novelty of travelling, staying in beautiful hotels and taking time off work,” Becky says.

“Who wouldn’t? It all sounds perfect on paper and don’t get me wrong, we live the most amazing life.

“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realised what’s really important in life and that’s not staying in hotels, no matter how nice they are. I am at my happiest when I’m at home surrounded by family, doing the things we mostly take for granted.

They're expecting their second child. Photo: Instagram.

Cummins with son Albie. Photo: Instagram.

“Living life away from home can be extremely lonely.

“When I am home things can be tough too because, for about ten months of the year I am alone, and the person I most want to spend my days with is away.

“It’s a life no-one really fully understands, not even our extended families.”

Cummins writes “the hardest travel I ever did was without Becky” when he went to play in the 2021 Indian Premier League in a Covid bubble.

“It was tough, being away from Becky for that long, and while in the first quarantine, I received a call from my family that made the situation even more difficult. Doctors had found cancer in my mum’s brain, and she was not expected to live much longer than Christmas.”

Cummins’ mother Maria passed away in early 2023 after a battle with cancer.

Pat Cummins has opened up in a new book. (Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)

Cummins has presided over a period of stability and on-field success as captain, with his calm leadership style suited to the experienced team he leads.

If Cameron Bancroft or Marcus Harris are recalled to the Test team, every player in Australia’s XI for the first Test against India will be aged over 30. Injured all-rounder Cameron Green is 25.

Cummins has previously signalled he could relinquish the captaincy at the back-end of his career, but the fast bowler says he has no plans to do that just yet.

“Loving the job at the moment, got such a great bunch of guys and staff. Some of my best mates are in that team,” Cummins told news.com.au.

“I’m loving it. No end in sight. I’m 31, been lucky to have a break and feeling super fresh and energised ahead of a big summer. Not looking too far forward.”

Tested by Pat Cummins will be published by HarperCollins on October 30 and is available to pre-order now.

Pat will appear at a Dymocks Literary Dinner in Sydney on November 14. Details and tickets here.