MELBOURNE: Australian skipper Pat Cummins confirmed on Thursday that he would be speaking to the media about former Aussie batter Usman Khawaja’s recent explosive claims about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal during the tour to South Africa, saying that it “took some time to try and better understand the long list and full extent of Uzzy’s allegations so he can respond properly”.
Usman’s autobiography titled ‘Sabr’ has brought back the old wounds of the 2018 ball-tampering scandal during the South Africa tour, as a part of which then-captain and vice-captain Steve Smith and David Warner received one-year competitive cricket bans, while Cameron Bancroft was also handed sanctions.
Besides shedding light on how the whole team was aware of the use of sandpaper and responsibility lay with everyone instead of the three aforementioned players, he also made some shocking, never-heard-before revelations of Aussies using sandpaper during the 2018 SA series’ second Test at Gqeberha as well, before they were eventually caught in Cape Town during the third Test. He also spoke about how Aussies altered the condition of the ball during the 2017/18 Ashes series at home by lifting the quarter-seam of the cricket ball.
Posting on X, Cummins said that he will be training ahead of day three of his side New South Wales (NSW) ongoing Sheffield Shield match with Western Australia and would be “happy to speak with any and all media” about Usman’s fresh revelations, which have attracted a lot of strong responses so far.
“I’m training at Cricket Central tomorrow morning before the Blues play in the Shield match. Happy to speak with any and all media about the events of this week at 9.30 am. 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. Afterwards please stay and support the Blues! I’ll ask CA to send out details,” posted Cummins on X.
I’m training at Cricket Central tomorrow morning before the Blues play in the Shield match.
Happy to speak with any and all media about the events of this week at 9.30 am.
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.
Afterwards please stay and support the Blues!
I’ll ask CA to send out details
— Pat Cummins (@patcummins30) November 11, 2026
Cummins was a member of the Australian side, which lost the series 3-1. He ended up as the team’s leading wicket-taker with 22 scalps (overall second-best next to Kagiso Rabada’s 23 scalps) at an average of 21.45, with two four-fers and a five-wicket haul, including best figures of 5/83.
Former Australian opener and Khawaja’s batting partner David Warner came out in support of his close friend, calling Khawaja’s side of things “100 per cent accurate”. In a video shared on his Instagram handle, Warner expressed full support for Khawaja and said people should focus on the issues raised rather than questioning why they had resurfaced after eight years.
“It has been eight years since I have spoken on this topic. And Uzzie (Usman Khawaja), I throw my full support behind you. I thank you for what you have done. It’s 100% accurate what you’ve said. Now everyone knows the truth. It is out there. People wanted to know it; you have come out and said it, and now people are saying, ‘Why eight years on?’ Talking about selling a book—this is Usman’s story. This is what Usman believes,” Warner said.
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Warner also questioned the investigation process following the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, pointing out that Khawaja was not interviewed despite being present alongside Cameron Bancroft.
“Now, this whole interview process was rushed and botched. Uzzie was sitting next to Cameron Bancroft; Uzzie was not interviewed. How is that a thorough investigation? It baffles me. We are not here to point fingers, and we’re not opening our wounds. It’s about accountability, transparency, ensuring that the truth is properly examined. And perhaps it is time people stop scrutinising the person asking for accountability and start asking those responsible for the investigation to provide it,” Warner added.
The former Australia opener also spoke about the personal impact of the controversy on his family, revealing that he had recently explained the incident to his daughters after they sought answers about the events surrounding the scandal.
“Now, there were a lot of statements and inaccuracies over the last eight years that were out in the media by people, and there were a lot of people who stayed silent. The last couple of days, I have had to be—I have been talking to my daughters, and that’s why it has taken me a couple of days to get this out, because I have had to tell them exactly what had happened. Especially my 12-year-old, Ivy, wanting to know why we were holding her, why there were so many cameras, why we were crying on TV,” Warner said.
He described the conversation with his daughters as difficult and said he had advised them about the importance of telling the truth.
“That was a hard thing to do. But one thing I did say is, ‘Girls, tell the truth, because lies will eventually get out.’ It was a very tough time. This is for everyone in Australia. It’s been—it has been the question that everyone’s been asking. Uzzie, you have said it how it is. It’s 100% accurate,” the former Australian cricketer added.
Warner acknowledged the difficult period faced by his family and those of Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft, while reiterating his support for Khawaja’s comments. “It has been a tough time for my family, Steve and Cameron no doubt, but this is what needed to come out. I fully support that, Uzzie,” he concluded.
Speaking about these explosive revelations to the media at an event on Tuesday, Mitchell Starc had also said, as quoted by Fox Sports, “I have not really paid much attention, to be fair,” he said.
“Obviously there is differing opinions of eight years ago. We were heavily drilled through the process at the time and since – and I guess I would not speak on behalf of the bowlers – but where I stand, my opinion has not changed. My recollection has not changed from what we said in 2021 (the year when Aussie bowling quartet of Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood, Lyon issued a joint statement denying the knowledge of use of foreign object on the ball),” he added.
On the ball-tampering in the Gqeberha Test as revealed by Khawaja, Starc said, “Yeah, that is the first I was aware of any of that taking place in PE (Port Elizabeth). I will leave that for said authors to explain.” “As our statement said, we were not aware of things being taken on the field; that is where I will leave it,” he signed off. (ANI)
