Pat Cummins fires back at critics who slammed him for leaving his team in India to return to Australia and be close to his terminally ill mother shortly before she died

Pat Cummins has hit the back at the critics who questioned his decision to leave his team halfway through the series in India in February to be with his terminally ill mother, insisting he owned them no explanation.

The Australian captain returned home after Australia’s second Test loss in Delhi to be with his seriously ill mother Maria, who by then had entered palliative care.

Maria eventually died in Sydney in March. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and the disease returned early last year.

At the time of his return to Sydney, Cummins noted he felt he was best being here with my family’ and thanked Cricket Australia for their ‘overwhelming support’.

And Cummins remains adamant those who did not back his decision did not deserve an explanation.

Pat Cummins has hit the back at the critics who questioned his decision to return to Sydney to be with his terminally ill mother Maria back in February

Maria (first left) died of cancer in March, shortly after Cummins cut his stay in India short

 ‘I didn’t feel I had any explaining to do,’ he told The Australian ahead of the final Ashes Test, which begins at The Oval on Thursday. 

‘There was no explanation needed. The team knew exactly what mum was going through, exactly what I was going through and for people out there to question it.

‘If I went around and had to explain myself to every single person who disagrees with something I wouldn’t have a minute left in my day to sleep or see my family or, you know, live a life.’

Should Australia avoid defeat in London this week, Cummins will become the first Australian captain since Steve Waugh in 2001 to win the Ashes in England.

And the Aussie skipper said he was aware he team needed to be calmer than during the fourth Test at Old Trafford if they are to win the series.

‘It’s something we speak a lot of as a group: A calm environment,’ he said.

‘That’s off the field but on the field as well.

‘It probably wasn’t our best day in terms of that. And that’s my fault, no one else’s.

Cummins returned to Sydney with Australia  2-0 down in the four-Test series

‘It’s tough. You’re out there, the wicket’s a flat wicket, the batters are batting well, it’s played at a different pace to pretty much any Test cricket before.’

Cummins endured the worst Test of his career in last week’s Manchester draw, going for 1-129 as England scored 592.

Australia’s tactics in that match were roundly criticised, while Cummins dropped two catches and missed a run out in the field amid accusations he was rattled by the hosts’ approach.

Rain eventually intervened and Australia retained the urn after five of the last six sessions were washed out without a ball being bowled.

Former Victoria captain Darren Berry last week labelled Australia’s short-ball approach ‘unwatchable’, and called for Cummins to resign as captain.

Andrew McDonald (right) has defended Cummins’ record as captain this week 

But the Aussie skipper was defended by Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer and insisted criticism did not bother him. 

‘A few things have come across my desk from the boys having a laugh,’ he said.

‘I’ve been in this job two years now and you learn pretty quickly you’ve got to have a thick skin.

‘I’m not going to please everyone and everyone’s got opinions. But they aren’t facts, they’re opinions.’