The controversy resurfaced after Usman Khawaja's new book asserted that all squad members knew about the sandpaper scheme and should have shared collective blame. Pat Cummins defended his integrity in Sydney, reiterating that he had no involvement in orchestrating the plan and never knew sandpaper was taken onto the field. While acknowledging their long-standing friendship across 56 Test matches, the skipper criticized Khawaja for recklessly endangering the reputations of former teammates.
Key points
Pat Cummins dismissed the allegations that the broader dressing room orchestrated or knew…: Pat Cummins dismissed the allegations that the broader dressing room orchestrated or knew about the sandpaper plan as completely wrong.
The national captain accused his longtime teammate of being reckless with the reputations…: The national captain accused his longtime teammate of being reckless with the reputations of fellow players and Australian cricket.
The dispute creates fresh friction between the current captain and his former New South W…: The dispute creates fresh friction between the current captain and his former New South Wales and international teammate who retired in January.
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'Wrong' and 'nonsense' - Cummins on Khawaja claims
- Published
Australia captain Pat Cummins has hit back at former team-mate Usman Khawaja's claims over the sandpaper scandal, calling them "100% wrong" and "utter nonsense".
In 2018, Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were punished for a plot to tamper with the ball using sandpaper in Australia's Test against South Africa in Cape Town.
Khawaja has published his autobiography this week and the former batter has said the entire Australia team, which included Cummins, knew about the sandpaper scheme and should have taken responsibility.
But in an extraordinary address to the media in Sydney, Cummins countered and said: "When he says we all knew, if by that he means we knew sandpaper was going out on the field, he's 100% wrong.
"I said that consistently for the last eight years. I did not know that was happening.
"He says that I and others were architects of a scheme to ball tamper with sandpaper. That's complete and utter nonsense."
Cummins and Khawaja played 56 Tests together until Khawaja retired from international…
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