OTD (May 8): Pat Cummins Birthday Special -- The Love-Hate Equation Indian Cricket Fans Have for Postman Pat

Pat Cummins, as Australia’s captain, has defeated India on multiple occasions, so the hate is understandable. However, Indians also have some amount of love for him

May 8 marks the birthday of Australian skipper Pat Cummins, the man who shooshed Indian cricket fans at the Narendra Modi Stadium by lifting the ODI World Cup trophy. It wasn’t the first time Pat Cummins had inflicted pain on the hearts of Indian cricket fans, and therefore, it is no shocker that Cummins is hated by many Indian cricket enthusiasts. However, there is also a section of Indian fans who love and respect him.

Heartbreak at the Oval

Cummins shattered India’s hopes for the first time when his Australian team triumphed over India in the World Test Championship in June 2023 at London’s Oval. The Indian side lost the game by 209 runs. This was the team’s second WTC final loss, and since then, India has had a tough time in the WTC.

“A big crowd go silent….”

Things definitely did not sit well with the Indian cricket fans when five months later, in November 2023, Pat Cummins, before the World Cup finale against India, said, “The crowd's obviously going to be very one-sided but, in sport there's nothing more satisfying than hearing a big crowd go silent and that's the aim for us tomorrow.” By the next evening, Cummins had turned his statement into reality as India posted a low total of 240 runs which was easily chased by the Aussies.

BGT 2024-25

India avenged its defeat against Australia in the Super 8 of the T20 World Cup 2024, but Pat Cummins once again proved to be a formidable opponent for the Indian side in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. India lost the second, third and fourth Test matches by significant margins, and Australia sealed the series at 3-1.

Pandemic contribution

Despite all the major losses at the hands of Pat’s Australian side, Indian fans were quick to defend him when an Indian food delivery app made fun of him on social media X after India defeated Australia in the T20 World Cup.

Indian fans were quick to remind how Pat had contributed US$50,000 for oxygen/medical support in India during the pandemic.

In the comment section of that post, which was later deleted, one fan had commented, “This isn't even funny. It was a tough match, not a one-sided match. The man has done more for needy Indians, than you guys have done till now,” whereas another had written, “He defeated us formidably at London in June 2023 and won the WTC final. Within just 4 months of time in a packed stadium, full of Indians at our home, he silenced us all to win the 50 over WC. We should be humble and only open our mouth if we win t20 WC. Respect the champions.”

SRH impact

Pat Cummins has also received immense love and respect for guiding the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League. Despite hailing from Hyderabad, SRH’s explosive batting has earned them a fan following across the nation, and to some extent, Cummins’ captaincy is responsible for the team’s turnaround. After all, the team had finished at the bottom in 2023 but played the final in 2024, had a mid-season finish in 2025 and are presently in the top four.

On the international stage, the tussle between India and Pat Cummins will continue for a few more years, but despite the rivalry, the Aussie will continue to hold a special place in our hearts.

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