'Got to own it': Pat Cummins on Glenn Maxwell drinking incident, investigation

Australia captain Pat Cummins said players have to “own it” over their decisions off the field after Glenn Maxwell’s alleged drunken incident in Adelaide. Maxwell was hospitalised after attending the concert of Brett Lee’s band Six and Out with reports suggesting he was suffering from dehydration. In the aftermath, Cricket Australia (CA) have launched an investigation into the incident. Ahead of the second Test against West Indies, Cummins was asked about the incident and whether Maxwell had a drinking problem. Cummins revealed he was at the The Gov, the pub where Six and Out were performing, but had “left pretty early”. The Aussie skipper stated he and Maxwell didn’t meet at the venue. “I knew he was in town but I didn’t see Maxi at all,” Cummins said. The World Cup-winner added, “We’re all adults and part of being an adult is you make your own decisions. “In terms of this incident he wasn’t on tour with Australia, he was over there for a private event, so he wasn’t with the cricket team. So it is a little bit different, but absolutely, any decision you make you’ve got to own it and be comfortable with it.” When asked if Maxwell needed to consider his choices, Cummins said, “Potentially, I think only ‘Maxy’ can answer that one.” Former Australia captain Michael Clarke expressed his shock regarding the incident with the idea of an ambulance being needed made him “nervous.” “To have to be put into an ambulance, that makes me nervous,” said Clarke on Fox Sports. “With these sorts of things, with off-field stuff. I like to go, ‘Benefit of the doubt and innocent until proven guilty’.” “One thing I know, Cricket Australia will get to the bottom of it. These days there’s cameras, there’s people, so the truth will be told. The other thing we need to do is make sure he’s OK. He didn’t end up spending the night there (in hospital). “I can’t think of a time where I’ve had to call an ambulance or an ambulance had to be called for me, no matter how drunk I was. So I’m worried there is more to this and I just hope he’s OK first and foremost.” Maxwell was not named in the 13-man squad to face West Indies in a three-match ODI series between 2-6 February. “It is not related to him being replaced in the ODI squad, a decision that was made following the BBL and based on his individual management plan. Maxwell is expected to return for the T20 series. No further comment will be made at this time,” CA had said in a statement. Maxwell has had a couple of absurd off-field injuries. At the ODI World Cup last year, he suffered a concussion when he fell off a golf cart. In 2022, he broke his leg while running at a friend’s birthday party.