Would you let a vegan player eat a chicken? Pat Cummins fires back at ‘Captain Climate’ critics

Aussie Test cricket skipper Pat Cummins has fired back at critics who called him a hypocrite for his environmental beliefs, saying he’s not the only player who has balked at sponsors for their beliefs.

Cummins has been criticized by many for ending its $40 million sponsorship deal with Alinta Energy over his role as head of Cricket for Climate, an organization that helps local clubs install solar panels.

He has also spoken out on the topic of climate change, leading many to blame Cummins for Alinta’s decision to walk out as title sponsor.

However, Cummins has fired back, saying many players have openly defied sponsorship-related guidelines for their beliefs without incident.

Australian opener Usman Khawaja chooses not to wear the Victoria Bitter sponsor logo on his kit due to his Muslim faith and opposition to alcohol.

“In my 12 years on the Australian team, I’ve seen 10 cases where players don’t want to be involved in things like KFC, or they don’t drink alcohol, or they’ve placed an ad three years in a row. for a sponsor and they think it’s a bit cheeky to ask for a fourth year,” Cummins told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Khawaja (center) does not wear the Victoria Bitter logo on his uniform because his religion prohibits alcohol and Cummins said there were many more cases like that in the squad

He used Sydney Thunder and Australian limited overs leg spinner Adam Zampa, who is vegan, as examples.

“If they let ‘Zamps’ eat chicken at a KFC, will he be hounded?” Cummins asked

‘Eat a chicken! Just eat a chicken!’

Cummins has also been the target of hypocrisy from climate skeptics, who point to its international travel in fuel-guzzling planes and its $9.5 million luxury home in Sydney’s beachside suburb of Bronte.

“Flying around the world sometimes on chartered planes, worrying about the environment okay,” one fan posted.

Zampa is vegan and Cummins said the attacks on him were like people trying to force the leg spinner to eat a chicken

‘Is the team going to England on a sailing ship? asked another

Yet another asked, “Is Tesla making 747s yet?”

However, Cummins said players can care about the environment without having to go completely off the grid to make a difference.

“Some of these things, I’m passionate about. I don’t find it irrational. I don’t think I’m shouting it from the rooftops. In the climate room, I tried to change a few things in my life,” he said.

“It’s a really divisive topic – and I don’t understand why. We all have one planet, if you think you can do one thing better, that’s a good thing.

“Doesn’t mean you have to live in a cabin in the woods to care about the environment.”

Cummins talks strategy with Australian coach Andrew McDonald during the Pink Test against South Africa at the SCG

Cummins also remembered his first match as Test skipper and how it all started to go horribly wrong in his first over.

“I hate this,” he thought to himself.

“I think I made a mistake.” “That first spell was terrible. I couldn’t bowl particularly well. My mind was worried about field placements and other things.

“Then I bowled another spell, and it went well. But it made me understand why other people thought I shouldn’t take the captaincy.’