Aussie Skipper Pat Cummins On Staying Fit And Playing The IPL

For millions and millions of Indian cricket fans, Pat Cummins is a nemesis who snatched the 2023 Cricket World Cup from India’s grasp – on their home turf. But here’s also a beloved performer of the Indian Premier League who leaves everything on the playing field.

Above all, the 33-year-old, who leads Australia in Tests and ODI cricket, is a supreme athlete and a spectacle to enjoy when in full flow.

Speaking at the New Balance Grey Days 2026 celebration and the launch of the New Retail Concept store in Noida, Cummins revealed how he prioritises running – and equal parts walking – into his fitness regime and why ample sleep is a big part of his self-care routine.

Edited excerpts from an interview.

How much does proper footwear impact your performance as a fast bowler?

Footwear is the most important equipment for a fast bowler by a mile. If you get injured, even if it's something like a toe injury, that can spiral and you can miss the season. So we take our footwear very seriously.

You have a bit of a performer inside you (the shush, the Prime Video advertisement recently and even the other on-and-off antics on-field). Tell us about that.

Yeah, a few TV advertisements the last couple of years have been funny. If the script seems funny, I don't mind making myself look ridiculous. 

You're someone a lot of people look up to and not just for your cricket. What does it take to keep looking the way you do? Take us through your self-care routine.

Try and get some sleep, which is hard with two young kids. Honestly, that's about it. I am lucky my job is trying to stay fit: a lot of gym and running. I live by the beach so I try and get in the water as much as I can.

Three of your favourite workouts?

I like a one minute on, one minute walking kind of run. Basically, equal running, equal walking. I quite like a circuit. Maybe some kettlebells, push-ups and things that get your heart rate up and you finish in 30 minutes. They're probably my favourite too. Everything else I'm kind of forced not to do so it's not fun.

Even the best have off days, especially in a format like T20. How do you react to and bounce back from it?

I think you have got to understand that it's gonna happen. You're not going to win every single game you play. You look at how you played and if you had the same chance, would I have done something differently? You learn from that and then you move on pretty quickly. You see the next game as a new opportunity and leave the baggage behind.

What do you enjoy most about playing the IPL?

The IPL is a good mix of crazy but also chilled. There's quite a bit of downtime during the day. I like the light and shade. You go and play a stadium - there's tens of thousands of people going crazy. But then also there's a bit of quiet time with your teammates or your family.

How does the New Balance Grey Days collection tie in with your personal style?

The Grey Days  - it's iconic. It's been around since the 1980s. New Balance had never released a collection that didn't have a grey shoe. They were the first to do it. They're always trying to push innovation, try new things. Performance always sits right at the top of the tree and that's what I try and do.

At a time when everyone's chasing colour, what do you think makes New Balance's Grey Days the new 'cool'?

I think it's understated. When you look closer, you see like the craftsmanship and the design. We're not trying to be out there and loud. It's understated - kind of culture coolness.