Australia Captain Pat Cummins Denies Ball-Tampering Claims in Khawaja Book

OPA WIRE, Nov 13 (OPA) — Australia captain Pat Cummins has again denied any involvement in the plot to use sandpaper on the ball during a Test against South Africa in 2018, describing the allegations in Usman Khawaja's autobiography as complete nonsense. Khawaja's book, published on Tuesday, claimed that all players in the team knew about the plot to rough up the ball, triggering calls for a fresh investigation into the incident that rocked international cricket.

Speaking to reporters in Sydney on Friday during a 68-minute press conference, Cummins rejected the assertion that he or other bowlers were architects of a ball-tampering scheme. "When he says we all knew, if by that he means that we knew sandpaper was going out in the field, he's 100 percent wrong. I've said that consistently for the last eight years," Cummins stated. He added that there was no master plan, team meeting, or grand strategy involving illegal methods.

The scandal during the third Test in Cape Town previously resulted in yearlong bans for then-captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner, alongside a nine-month suspension for opening batter Cameron Bancroft. Cummins, alongside bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon, previously denied awareness of the plan in a 2021 public statement. Former head coach Darren Lehmann and former batting coach Graeme Hick have also denied prior knowledge of the plot.

Despite the controversy, Cummins confirmed he will not take legal action against Khawaja over the defamatory claims, emphasizing the need to move on from the eight-year-old incident. Meanwhile, Warner defended Khawaja's account in media commentary ahead of an international fixture, expressing disappointment that the current captain had publicly challenged his teammate's version of events.