Australia captain Pat Cummins hit back at Usman Khawaja’s autobiography claims on Wednesday, calling them 100 percent wrong and utter nonsense.
Khawaja published his book Sabr this week, alleging the entire Australia Test team knew about the 2018 ball-tampering plot in Cape Town, according to Yahoo Sports. Cummins addressed reporters in a 68-minute media conference in Sydney to reject the accusations.
“When he says we all knew, if by that he means we knew sandpaper was going out on the field, he’s 100% wrong,” Cummins told the media. “He says that I and others were architects of a scheme to ball tamper with sandpaper. That's complete and utter nonsense,” Australia captain Pat Cummins said.
Friendship strained over book allegations
Cummins and Khawaja played 56 Tests together before Khawaja retired from international cricket in January. The pair debuted together in 2011 and played domestic cricket for New South Wales.
“Usman is a friend, but friends aren’t casual with each other’s lives and reputations,” Cummins said. He said that Khawaja was casual with his life and the lives of many others in Australian cricket.
Khawaja alleged in his book that a coach urged Australia to find ways to get the ball to swing, and Cameron Bancroft was encouraged to cheat. Bancroft, Steve Smith, and David Warner received suspensions in 2018 for using sandpaper during a Test against South Africa.
Diverging accounts from touring players
Khawaja’s book put a spotlight on Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon. The four bowlers formed the attack in Cape Town and remain first-choice players.
While Warner and seam bowler Chadd Sayers supported Khawaja’s claims, other figures rejected them. Former head coach Darren Lehmann, assistant Graeme Hick, and bowler Mitchell Starc denied any knowledge of the scheme.
Cummins said he met with Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg after the book’s release. Greenberg reviewed files from the original investigation and found the accounts consistent, according to Cummins.
Questions remaining in Australian cricket
Cummins admitted he noticed things during his early career at age 24 that he now realizes could have been cheating, noting an ugliness and arrogance in how the team spoke to umpires and opponents back then.
The captain stated he does not want to talk about the sandpaper scandal again. Warner has yet to release a book, leaving future accounts from that tour uncertain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Usman Khawaja release these claims now?
Cummins suggested the episode could have weighed heavy on the left-hander as he reached the end of his international career.
Did Pat Cummins take legal action over the book?
Cummins received advice that some claims were defamatory, but he decided not to take legal action.
Who else has denied Khawaja’s allegations?
Former head coach Darren Lehmann, assistant Graeme Hick, and fast bowler Mitchell Starc have rejected Khawaja’s claims that the wider team knew about the sandpaper plot.
Worth a look