Cummins rejects Khawaja's sandpaper claims as 'nonsense'

Khawaja's book reopens old wounds

Former Australia batter Usman Khawaja published his autobiography this week, claiming the entire team knew about the sandpaper ball-tampering scheme in 2018.

The 2018 sandpaper scandal

Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were punished for tampering with the ball using sandpaper during Australia's Test against South Africa in Cape Town.

Cummins calls claims 'wrong'

In a 68-minute media address in Sydney, Australia captain Pat Cummins rejected Khawaja's allegations, saying he did not know sandpaper was going 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.”

Cummins denies being an architect

Cummins said Khawaja's claim that he and others were architects of a ball-tampering scheme was complete and utter nonsense, and he had said so consistently for eight years.

“He says that I and others were architects of a scheme to ball tamper with sandpaper. That's complete and utter nonsense.”

A friendship tested

Cummins and Khawaja played 56 Tests together and were once domestic cricket team-mates with New South Wales. Khawaja retired from international cricket in January.

Cummins criticises Khawaja

Cummins said friends should not be casual with each other's lives and reputations, and accused Khawaja of being casual with his life and the lives of many others.

“Usman is a friend, but friends aren't casual with each other's lives and reputations.”

Cummins addresses legal advice

Cummins said he had received advice that some of Khawaja's claims are defamatory, but he will not take legal action against his former team-mate.

Contact with Smith but not Warner

Cummins said he had been in contact with Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja since the book was published, but had not contacted David Warner.

Cummins questions the bans

Cummins said he believed the one-year bans handed to Smith and Warner, and the nine-month suspension given to Cameron Bancroft, were heavy handed.

No memory of 2017-18 tampering

Cummins said he had no recollection of Australia tampering with the ball during the 2017-18 Ashes series against England.

Greenberg reviews the files

Cummins met with Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg, who reviewed the files from the original investigation and found the accounts to be consistent.

Why sandpaper was in the dressing room

Cummins explained that sandpaper was sometimes used by bowlers in training to practise with a reverse-swinging ball, accounting for its presence in the dressing room.

No grand plan to cheat

Cummins rejected the idea of a masterplan, saying there was no team meeting or bowlers' agreement to use illegal methods to tamper with the ball.

“There was no masterplan around using illegal methods. There's no grand plan. There's no team meeting.”

Warner backs Khawaja's account

Speaking as an analyst for Fox Cricket, David Warner said he stood with Khawaja and accused Cummins of throwing him under the bus, calling the investigation botched.

“I stick with Uzzie. It's the truth. The captain threw Uzzie under the bus.”

Cummins frustrated by distraction

Cummins said he was frustrated that the sandpaper scandal remains a distraction for Australian cricket eight years later and that the team must draw a line and move on.

“It's been eight years. We're moving on. So you have got to draw a line at some point.”