Cummins Calls Khawaja’s Ball-Tampering Claims ‘Utter Nonsense’
Australia Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins rejected Usman Khawaja's Sandpapergate allegations at a press conference, saying he did not know sandpaper was being used in Cape Town and that Khawaja's account of a bowlers' scheme was untrue.
Australia captain Pat Cummins has rejected Usman Khawaja's ball-tampering claims about the 2018 Cape Town Test, saying the allegations about him and the other bowlers are "complete and utter nonsense". He spoke at a press conference after a week of controversy.
The row began when Khawaja, the former Australia opener, released his autobiography, Sabr. In it, he claimed the whole Australian squad on the 2018 tour of South Africa knew sandpaper was being used, not just the three players punished at the time.
What Khawaja claimed
Cricket Australia's official position has not changed since Cape Town. Only Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft knew of the plan to use sandpaper on the ball during the third Test against South Africa.
The aim was to scuff the surface and help the ball swing in reverse. The three men received bans of up to 12 months.
Khawaja's book says the bowlers knew as well. His account has put the incident back at the center of Australian cricket.
Cummins responds
Cummins said he had stood by the bowlers' 2021 statement. He drew a line between two readings of Khawaja's words.
"When he says we all knew, if by that he means that we knew sandpaper was going out on the field, that is 100% wrong," Cummins said. "I've said that consistently for the last eight years, I did not know that was happening."
He then said Khawaja's claims went further than that. In Cummins' reading, the book accuses him and others of being architects of a scheme to tamper with the ball using sandpaper.
Cummins also said he was shocked to learn this week that Khawaja admitted telling Bancroft to be careful when using sandpaper. "That's not the Usman that I know," he said.
He kept the tone personal. "Usman's a friend, but friends aren't casual with each other's lives and reputations," Cummins said. He added that he supports Khawaja's right to tell his story, but that people must be accountable for what they say and do.
'No grand plan'
Cummins disputed the idea of an organized scheme among the bowlers. He said people assume Australia went from legal methods of getting the ball to reverse to sandpaper because of some huge master plan, and that was not the case.
"There's no grand plan. There's no team meeting. There's no bowlers saying this is what must happen," he said.
Cummins said he wanted to talk through the details because "context and details matter around this". Cricket Australia's official line on who knew about the plan has not been altered by Khawaja's book.
