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Australia Test captain Pat Cummins has scheduled a press conference for Friday morning to respond to allegations made by former teammate Usman Khawaja regarding the 2018 “Sandpapergate” ball-tampering scandal. Khawaja revived the controversy in his new autobiography, Sabr, claiming that the entire Australian dressing room was aware of the scheme during their tour of South Africa eight years ago.
Cummins Invites Press Scrutiny
Although rested from Australia’s upcoming white-ball series against England, which begins Friday in Perth, Cummins publicly invited journalists to meet him in Sydney. Writing on social platform X on Thursday, the fast bowler explained that he took time to evaluate Khawaja’s claims before answering questions directly.
“I’m training at Cricket Central (in Sydney) tomorrow morning before the Blues play in the Shield match,” Cummins posted on X on Thursday. “Happy to speak with any and all media about the events of this week at 9.30 am.”
Cummins added in his post: “I’ve taken some time to try and better understand the long list and full extent of Uzzy’s allegations so I can respond properly.”
Following the 2018 Cape Town Test, where Cameron Bancroft was filmed using sandpaper on the ball, only Bancroft, then-captain Steve Smith, and David Warner received bans. On Monday, Warner stated that Khawaja’s account was “100 per cent accurate.” The allegations have renewed questions concerning Australia’s core bowling attack—Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon—who previously distanced themselves from the incident. In 2021, the four bowlers released a joint statement denying any knowledge that a foreign object was brought onto the pitch.
Despite the renewed attention, Cricket Australia chairman David Boon confirmed that Cummins’ role as captain remains secure. Speaking to The Australian on Thursday, Boon expressed total support for the skipper, highlighting his integrity and successful leadership since taking charge.
Teammates Respond to the Allegations
Left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc addressed reporters on Tuesday, explaining that his memory of the 2018 tour remains unchanged. Starc noted that he has not read Khawaja’s book and maintained that the bowling group was unaware of any on-field ball manipulation until it appeared on the venue’s big screen.
Starc also addressed Khawaja’s assertion that ball tampering had previously occurred during the Port Elizabeth Test, stating that he was completely unaware of any such incident prior to the publication of the book.
Meanwhile, Mitchell Marsh, who is captaining Australia in the white-ball matches against England, declined to delve into the matter during a pre-match press conference in Perth. Marsh, a member of the 2018 Test squad, stated that he respects Khawaja’s decision to publish his personal account, but stressed that he has personally moved past the episode.
Khawaja’s book also claimed that Australian players experimented with lifting the ball’s seam during the 2017–18 home Ashes series. Sky Sports News reported that the England and Wales Cricket Board offered “no comment” when asked about the claim, while England batter Joe Root described the allegations as speculation, stating he had no knowledge of what transpired inside the Australian locker room.
Cricket Australia Rules Out New Probe
Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg stated that the governing body will not re-open its investigation into the scandal. Speaking to Australian radio station SEN, Greenberg explained that the board remains comfortable with the conclusions reached in 2018 and sees no benefit in revisiting past decisions through hindsight.
Greenberg noted that Khawaja’s account directly conflicts with the statements provided by several other squad members who have maintained a consistent stance since 2018. Additionally, the Australian Cricketers’ Association issued a statement calling the 2018 events a painful chapter for the sport and urged the public to end ongoing vitriol aimed at those involved.
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke offered a contrasting view on 20DayFM, arguing that cricket fans deserve complete clarity regarding what occurred. Clarke suggested that the full truth has yet to emerge and noted that Cummins might never have inherited the national captaincy had the events of 2018 not led to structural changes in Australian cricket leadership.
