Australia Test cricket captain Pat Cummins dismissed former team-mate Usman Khawaja’s claims that every player knew about the 2018 ball-tampering plot as “100% wrong” and “complete and utter nonsense” during an extraordinary media conference in Sydney on Friday.
Cummins Rejects Collective Responsibility Claims
The controversy stems from Khawaja’s newly published autobiography, Sabr, in which the former batter alleged the entire Australian team on the South Africa tour knew about the sandpaper scheme and should have shared responsibility. Cummins countered those assertions during a structured address to journalists, insisting he remained entirely unaware of the illegal actions on the field.
“When he says we all knew, if by that he means we knew sandpaper was going out on the field, he’s 100% wrong. I said that consistently for the last eight years. I did not know that was happening.”
Cummins and Khawaja played 56 Tests together before Khawaja retired from international cricket in January. Cummins told BBC Sport that Khawaja had been “casual” with people’s lives and reputations, confirming he had received advice that certain claims in the book were defamatory, though he would not pursue legal action.
Cummins Addresses the 2018 Ball Tampering Suspensions
In 2018, Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft received suspensions for attempting to alter the ball using sandpaper during a Test match against South Africa in Cape Town. Cummins described the original bans handed to Smith and Warner for one year, alongside Bancroft’s nine-month suspension, as “heavy handed”, according to BBC Sport reporting.
Addressing why sandpaper was present in the dressing room, Cummins explained that bowlers occasionally used it during training sessions to practise reverse swing. He stated he had met with Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg, who reviewed the original investigation files following the book’s release and found the accounts consistent, according to BBC Sport.
| Player | Tour Role (2018) | Current Status | Stance on Allegations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pat Cummins | Bowler | Test Captain | Denied all knowledge |
| Mitchell Starc | Bowler | Active Player | Denied claims |
| Steve Smith | Captain | Active Player | Served 2018 ban |
| Cameron Bancroft | Opening Batter | Active Player | Served 2018 ban |
Divided Reactions Across the Squad
While Khawaja received support from David Warner and seam bowler Chadd Sayers, other members of the 2018 touring party rejected the allegations. Former head coach Darren Lehmann, assistant coach Graeme Hick, and fast bowler Mitchell Starc all disputed Khawaja’s version of events, as noted by BBC Sport.
Cummins stated he did not recall any team meeting or discussion urging collective responsibility, adding that assertions of a grand masterplan to alter the ball were incorrect. ABC News reported that Cummins confirmed he had seen ball tampering only once previously during a domestic Sheffield Shield match involving a bottle cap.
The debate leaves open questions regarding whether Cricket Australia will face further internal pressure, as Greenberg has said he will not reopen the investigation.
“Usman is a friend, but friends aren’t casual with each other’s lives and reputations. In his book he’s been casual with my life and the lives of many others – and, I think, Australian cricket,” said Cummins, told BBC Sport.
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