Cummins, who hails from Australia, plans to keep playing until he turns 35.

Reuters || Shining BD

Published: 5/10/2023 5:13:03 AM

Australia captain Pat Cummins wants to play international cricket for another five years, but he has already experienced burnout, forcing him to reevaluate his life balance.

The 30-year-old paceman debuted as a teenager in South Africa in 2011, but did not play his second test until six years later due to a series of injuries.

When he did return to Australia's colors, he quickly discovered the nearly unrelenting demands placed on the top modern players.
"Cricket is basically a year-round sport," he explained to former England footballer Rio Ferdinand on the Get Real with Rio podcast.

 

"There's always a cricket game going on somewhere, and I played non-stop for a year or two. This is about four or five years ago, I kind of just came back from injuries.

"And I was just spent, like burnt out, and I just remember thinking, 'Jeez, I'm 25 here but I want to do this until I'm 35. I've got to find a way to balance all these different things'."

Cummins' most recent appearance came earlier this year during Australia's tour of India, which he left early to return home to be with his terminally ill mother.

He said her death in March from breast cancer was still "pretty raw," but he was glad he could spend time with her and his family at the end.

"I think it drives home the type of person you want to be, the type of father you want to be." So far, so good from that perspective. "I have a lot of memories," he said.

"But, in terms of the grief, I guess we'll keep working through that."

Cummins and Australia will play India in the World Test Championship final in London next month, followed by the five-match Ashes series against England.
 

Shining BD