Australian Test captain Pat Cummins held a press conference in Sydney on Friday to address allegations made by former teammate Usman Khawaja in his new autobiography. Cummins firmly rejected Khawaja’s assertion that the entire squad was aware of the plot to use sandpaper on the ball during the 2018 Test series against South Africa. Describing the claims as "complete and utter nonsense," Cummins stated he had never known about the incident and denied being an architect of any scheme. He emphasized that there was no master plan or team meeting regarding illegal methods.
The controversy was reignited by the release of Khawaja’s book, Sabr, which alleges that players Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft were made scapegoats while the wider team knew of the ball-tampering plot. Cummins expressed shock at Khawaja’s recollection that he had instructed opener Cameron Bancroft to be careful when using sandpaper. He also took exception to Khawaja’s suggestion that his skin color prevented him from becoming captain, calling that statement the most serious part of the book. Despite advice that some allegations were defamatory, Cummins confirmed he would not pursue legal action, stating that the team needed to move on after eight years.
Former opener David Warner mounted a vigorous defense of Khawaja following Cummins’ press conference. Speaking on Fox Cricket, Warner asserted that Khawaja’s account was the truth and that he still stood by his former partner. Warner accused Cummins of throwing Khawaja under the bus and expressed deep disappointment in the captain’s handling of the situation. He noted that the three men originally banned by Cricket Australia had paid a heavy price, revealing that his wife had lost a baby during the aftermath of the scandal. Warner argued that the trio continued to face daily abuse and consequences for their roles in the incident.
The dispute has drawn reactions from other figures in Australian cricket. Former coach Justin Langer supported Cummins’ decision to address the allegations publicly, suggesting that strong leaders must stand up to draw a line in the sand. However, the Australian Cricketers’ Association has urged an end to the furore. Meanwhile, former captain Michael Clarke questioned Cummins’ initial silence, though Cummins clarified he needed time to understand the full extent of the allegations before responding. Cricket Australia’s head has previously ruled out opening a new investigation into the 2018 incident.