New Delhi: The controversy surrounding Australia’s infamous 2018 ball-tampering scandal has resurfaced after former opener Usman Khawaja made fresh revelations in his autobiography, triggering a public disagreement between current captain Pat Cummins and former teammate David Warner.
Warner has strongly defended Khawaja, insisting that his account of the incident is true, while accusing Cummins of throwing the former opener “under the bus”. Cummins, however, has dismissed Khawaja’s allegations as “complete and utter nonsense” and maintained that he had no knowledge of the plan to use sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball.
The controversy centres around the 2018 Test series against South Africa, particularly the third Test in Cape Town. Khawaja alleged that the entire Australian team, including Cummins, knew about the ball-tampering plan. He also claimed that similar tactics had been used during the second Test in Port Elizabeth.
Responding to the allegations, Cummins said he was completely unaware of sandpaper being taken onto the field. He also criticised Khawaja for making serious claims eight years after the incident, arguing that the manner in which they were presented could damage the reputations of several individuals.
Warner expressed disappointment with Cummins’ response and reiterated his support for Khawaja. He pointed out that he, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft had already paid a heavy price for the scandal, with all three receiving suspensions following an investigation that identified them as the players involved.
Warner also spoke about the personal suffering he and his family experienced during that period, revealing that they lost a baby amid the turmoil. He said the consequences of the scandal continued to affect them even years later.
Cummins, meanwhile, denied remembering Khawaja calling for collective responsibility during a team discussion after the Cape Town Test. Other Australian bowlers, including Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, have also denied knowing about the plan.
Cricket Australia has ruled out reopening its investigation. Cummins acknowledged that the Australian team’s culture in 2018 had an unhealthy win-at-all-costs mentality but insisted that significant improvements had been made since then.
The renewed exchange has once again brought one of cricket’s biggest controversies into the spotlight, with former teammates offering sharply different accounts of what happened behind the scenes.
