Cummins rejects Khawaja’s Sandpapergate claims as Warner hits back

Australia captain Pat Cummins has dismissed claims by retired batter Usman Khawaja that the entire squad knew about the Sandpapergate plot, according to The Citizen. Former opener David Warner then accused Cummins of throwing Khawaja “under the bus”.

Khawaja revisited the affair in his autobiography, released this week. He alleges that the whole team, Cummins included, was aware of a plan to use sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball and help it swing. The scandal erupted during the 2018 tour of South Africa, and the book also claims the same method had been tried a Test earlier, in Port Elizabeth.

Cummins: “Complete and utter nonsense”

Speaking at a press conference that lasted more than an hour, Cummins said that if Khawaja meant the team knew sandpaper was being taken onto the field, he was “100 percent wrong”. He said he has held that position for eight years.

Cummins said Khawaja’s book went further, by suggesting he and others designed the scheme. He called that “complete and utter nonsense”. He described Khawaja as a friend but said friends should not be careless with each other’s reputations.

Khawaja has said that after the Cape Town match he urged his team-mates to share responsibility instead of blaming Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft. Cummins said he does not remember any such conversation or team meeting.

Warner stands by Khawaja

Warner, speaking in television commentary before Australia’s one-day match against England, said he still backed what Khawaja wrote. “That is the truth,” he said, adding that he would keep pushing until the truth is out.

A Cricket Australia investigation found that only Warner, Smith and Bancroft knew about the plan. All three were sent home and banned, and Smith lost the captaincy. Tim Paine took over, and Cummins later succeeded him.

Former coach Darren Lehmann and former batting coach Graeme Hick have both denied knowing anything. Hick called Khawaja’s claims “absolutely false”. Four Australian bowlers, Cummins among them, issued a joint statement in 2021 denying they knew. Mitchell Starc repeated this week that the players were not aware of anything being taken onto the field. Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Smith and Bancroft have stayed silent.

What happens next

Cricket Australia has ruled out reopening its investigation. Chairman David Boon told Cummins on Thursday that his job is safe.

Cummins acknowledged that the team culture around 2018 was marked by a win-at-all-costs attitude. He said he disliked the way players spoke to umpires and opponents back then, and that the current side is “absolutely brilliant” by comparison.

The dispute remains unresolved, with Khawaja and Warner on one side and Cummins and others from that era on the other.

This story is based on reporting by The Citizen.