Pat Cummins Hits Back At Usman Khawaja Over Sandpapergate Revelations

Australia captain Pat Cummins has strongly criticised former teammate Usman Khawaja over his recent revelations about the 2018 Sandpapergate scandal. Cummins said he was disappointed with the way Khawaja had spoken about the incident, accusing him of being careless with the reputations and lives of people involved.

Cummins was particularly upset by Khawaja’s revelation that he had warned Cameron Bancroft to be careful while using sandpaper during the infamous Cape Town Test in March 2018.

Speaking to the media in Sydney on Friday, Cummins spent more than an hour addressing the controversy. He firmly denied knowing that sandpaper was being taken onto the field and rejected Khawaja’s suggestion that Australia’s bowling group had planned the ball-tampering incident.

The Australian captain also questioned why Khawaja had waited eight years to share what he knew about the episode.

“Usman is a friend, but friends aren’t casual with each other’s lives and reputations. In his book he’s been casual with my life and the lives of many others and I think Australian cricket,” Cummins said.

He added that while Khawaja had every right to share his experiences, he also needed to be responsible for the claims he made.

“I support him to tell his story, 100%. I’m glad he feels like he can but we have to be accountable for the things that we say and do,” he said.

Cummins strongly denies knowing about sandpaper

Cummins made it clear that he had no knowledge of sandpaper being taken onto the field during Australia’s third Test against South Africa in Cape Town in 2018.

He also rejected the suggestion that he and other bowlers were involved in planning the ball-tampering incident.

“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 said.

“I said that consistently for the last eight years. I did not know that was happening. But I think Usman actually says things that are far more serious than that.

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

However, it was Khawaja’s account of his conversation with Bancroft that appeared to upset Cummins the most.

The Australia captain said he was shocked to learn that Khawaja had allegedly warned Bancroft to be careful while using the sandpaper.

“That’s not the Usman that I know. It’s not the Usman that has been part of a team that’s helped rebuild the Australian cricket culture over the last eight years. And, you know, the Usman that would have stopped that from happening there and then,” he said.

‘It affects real people’: Cummins questions Khawaja’s account

Cummins admitted that Khawaja’s revelations had been on his mind over the last few days. He said his concerns went beyond their personal friendship, as the claims could affect several people associated with Australian cricket.

“It’s something I have been grappling with the last couple of days. Usman is a friend. But I think the way he’s kind of been quite casual and flippant with people’s lives and Australian cricket, I don’t think that’s OK. I don’t think that’s what friends do,” Cummins said.

He added that the controversy had wider implications for the team and its reputation.

“It affects real people. It affects people’s lives. It’s also strange. I love Australian cricket. It’s given me so much. This really affects Australian cricket,” he said.

“I think the way that he’s presented his story, I think he’s done that in a very casual manner. And it affects a lot of people. That’s what I’m grappling with at the moment because I don’t think it’s okay.”

Why did Khawaja wait eight years to speak?

Another major point raised by Cummins was the timing of Khawaja’s revelations. He questioned why the former Australia opener had waited so long to speak about his knowledge of the incident.

Cummins said Khawaja had never approached him or other members of the team to understand their side of the story before making the claims.

“I don’t know why it’s taken Usman so long. You know, again, it’s only this week, a revelation to me that he knew what was going on, that he was sitting next to Cam and that he told Cam to be careful,” Cummins said.

“I think a really important part here is Usman has never really asked me or anyone else what we know,” he added.

Cummins also wondered whether Khawaja had been struggling with his own memories of the incident for years and whether that was the reason he had not shared the information during the investigation in 2018.

“Maybe he’s been grappling with that for eight years and is that a reason why he didn’t come out in the investigation at the time? Perhaps. I don’t know. That’s for Usman,” he said.

He further pointed out that Khawaja had been sitting next to Bancroft during the incident and suggested that the former opener might have known more about what was happening than other players in the dressing room.

“It looks like it’s been sitting heavy on him for a while. It’s 8.5 years ago. I get that. You know, again, he’s sitting next to Bancroft, so it sounds like he knew a lot more than others in the changeroom,” Cummins said.

Cummins rejects Khawaja’s claim over Australia captaincy

Cummins also disagreed with Khawaja’s claim that his Pakistani heritage and skin colour had worked against him when Australia were considering their next captain in the aftermath of Sandpapergate.

The Australian skipper called it a serious allegation and said such a claim needed to be backed by evidence.

“I think the things I’ve read, it’s the most serious,” Cummins said.

“To think that the job that I hold is quarantined from people based on their skin colour, it’s a pretty big statement. If you are going to say that, I think you have to have evidence. And I just don’t think that’s the case.”

Cummins said he agreed with Khawaja on several issues but could not accept his suggestion that a person’s skin colour or background played a role in deciding who could lead Australia.

“So again, I agree with Uzzy on a lot of things. But when I disagree, I tell him that I disagree. And him saying that if you’re Australian captain, you have to be a certain skin colour, I couldn’t disagree with that statement any more,” he added.

Cummins recalls Australia’s dressing room culture in 2018

Reflecting on the events of 2018, Cummins said the Australian players had cooperated fully with the investigation that followed the Cape Town Test.

He maintained that everyone had shared whatever information they had with the investigators.

“We all took part in that investigation at the time. We told them everything. Absolutely everything. Open book. So in some ways maybe that was for us part of the process to help get over it,” he said.

Cummins also spoke about the atmosphere inside the Australian dressing room at the time. He described a team that was divided into different groups and had developed an unhealthy win-at-all-costs mentality.

The pacer was just 24 and playing his 13th Test when the scandal broke. He said changing that culture and creating a healthier environment had been among his priorities since taking over as captain.

Cummins also accepted that Khawaja might not have completely moved on from the incident and that sharing his experiences could be his way of dealing with it.

“Maybe this is Usman’s chance and he never really got over it at the time,” Cummins said.

Despite his strong criticism, Cummins reiterated that Khawaja had the right to tell his side of the story. However, the Australia captain made it clear that he did not want the controversy to continue.

“I don’t want to talk about this again after today,” he said.