Cummins breaks silence on sandpapergate allegations

Cummins holds 70-minute press conference

Australia's Test captain Pat Cummins addressed allegations in Usman Khawaja's book Sabr at Cricket Central in Sydney, covering sandpaper, ball tampering and Australian cricket culture.

Cummins denies knowing about sandpaper

Cummins said he did not know sandpaper was being taken onto the field. He rejected claims he and others were architects of a scheme to ball tamper.

“I said that consistently for the last eight years. I did not know that was happening.”

Friendship strained by book allegations

Cummins said Khawaja is a friend but has been casual with people's lives and reputations. He expressed disappointment at how the allegations were dealt with so flippantly.

“Friends aren't casual with each other's lives and reputations.”

No grand plan to use illegal methods

Cummins said there was no masterplan around using illegal methods. He said people assume a sudden shift from legal to illegal methods, but that was not the case.

“There's no grand plan. In a team meeting, there's no bowlers saying, 'This is what must happen.'”

One incident with bottle cap in Shield game

Cummins said he saw ball tampering once before the South African tour, when a senior player used a bottle cap on the field in a Shield game. Umpires caught and stopped him.

“I was looking going, 'Wow, that's not OK.'”

Other tampering methods discussed but not used

Cummins said he had heard of superglue, zippers, nail polish and Murray Mints being discussed as tampering methods. He said he never saw any of these used in the Australian cricket team.

“These are discussions that I'm sure every suburban change room has as well.”

No team meeting on collective responsibility

Cummins said he did not remember any conversation around collective responsibility or a team meeting where Khawaja stood up and said the team should own the issue together.

Cricket Australia investigation was proper

Cummins said the Cricket Australia investigation was conducted properly. He thought the sanctions were too heavy-handed and over the top, but the investigation itself was fair.

“My personal opinion was it was way too heavy-handed. Way over the top.”

2018 team had ugly underbelly and arrogance

Cummins said the 2018 team had a win-at-all-costs mentality with an ugly underbelly and too many silos. He said the team was abrasive and arrogant, traits he has worked to eradicate as captain.

“There was an ugly underbelly, and there was too many silos within the team.”

Bowlers do not manage the ball

Cummins said bowlers do not come up with ideas to manage the ball. He explained that wet balls do not reverse and sweaty hands are avoided when possible.

“It's not how it happens.”

Sandpaper use is normal in training

Cummins said sandpaper is normally carried for batters and used for balls in training. He said scratching balls on concrete and using Stanley knives are normal training methods.

“It's actually, again, quite a normal thing.”

Racism claim is most serious allegation

Cummins said Khawaja's claim that he was not given the captaincy because of his skin colour and background is the most serious allegation. He said such a claim requires evidence.

“If you are going to say that I think you have to have evidence, I just don't think that's the case.”

Cummins will not pursue legal action

Cummins said he was advised that some things in Khawaja's book are probably defamatory. He said he will not take legal action and wants to move on after eight years.

“You've got to draw the line at some point.”