Aussie cricket captain Pat Cummins fires back at critics as he visits Indigenous communities

• Pat Cummins recently spent time in Northern Territory
• Visited remote Indigenous community in Borroloola
• Experience was eye-opening for Aussie cricket captain
• Is known for humanitarian work, Ashes starts on June 16

Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins has a blunt message who those continuing to criticise his humanitarian work – educate yourself.

With the Ashes starting on June 16, the 30-year-old is desperate to hoist the urn in England, but his passion when not wearing his whites is the definition of noble.

Cummins recently spent time in Borroloola in the Northern Territory, and while the experience would have been confronting for many, the man who has snared 214 Test wickets was in his element.

The remote Indigenous community comes with many challenges – unemployment sits at 50 per cent and 66 per cent of its children are classified as vulnerable.

UNICEF, famed for protecting children in disaster zones globally, has established Australian operations in Borroloola and Indigenous footballer John Moriarty has also set up his own foundation.

The locally-run Indi Kindi continues to thrive, but other obstacles remain, notably Borroloola’s geographic isolation.

It is a two and half hour light plane flight or 12-hour drive from Darwin or a 14 hour commute from Alice Springs, making life’s necessities not easy to come by. 

Thanks to the UNICEF program and Moriarty’s Indi Kindi, which has been running since 2012, the local children have daily access to hot meals and basic health care.

But as Cummins is now well aware, so much more can be done. 

Sport is a clear passion for the youngsters – and can also open doors to life in the ‘big smoke’.

Shadeene Evans, a proud Borroloola kid, has gone onto play in the W-League with Sydney FC and Adelaide United in recent years.

Cummins ultimately felt it was his duty as a fellow Australian to lend a helping hand in the Northern Territory.

‘That’s why programs like this and the incredible work that UNICEF and the Moriarty Foundation are doing are so important,’ he told News Corp.

He also supports a ‘Yes’ vote in the upcoming referendum over an Indigenous Voice to Parliament – and will continue to speak his mind about non-cricket matters, despite his detractors.

‘I think that some things are too important to worry about how people feel,’ he said.

‘Being in a position where I can help, well, that’s way more important than copping a bit of flak occasionally from people that don’t want to help.

‘There’s so much good that’s being done by different people and organisations and great stories within that, that if I can help, and if people have a problem, well, who cares, really?

In October last year, Cummins was slammed for his hypocritical ‘ethical objections’ of Cricket Australia’s major sponsor Alinta Energy.

He reportedly approached CEO Nick Hockley and raised personal concerns about  Alinta Energy’s climate impact ahead of their contract renewal.

Cummins’ conduct clearly gets under the skin of some cricket supporters given the passionate climate activist did feature in several previous advertisements for Alinta.

He has also been seen flying first class and driving a Range Rover SUV, which are both known chronic pollution emitters.

The first Ashes Test against England is at Edgbaston on June 16.