'Tell your story': Pat Cummins' blunt response to Khawaja's book on Sandpapergate
Australia captain Pat Cummins has played down concerns that Usman Khawaja’s upcoming autobiography could bring fresh attention to the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, also known as Sandpapergate. Australia are returning to South Africa for the first time since the scandal. The three-Test series begins at Kingsmead on Friday, but Cummins said the incident had already been dealt with and the team had…
Australia's captain, Pat Cummins, has downplayed worries that Usman Khawaja's upcoming autobiography may re-open discussions about the 2018 ball-tampering incident, also known as Sandpapergate. As Australia is set to return to South Africa for their first Test series since the scandal, Cummins assured the team has already addressed the incident and moved on.
During the March 2018 Test match in Cape Town, Australia was found using sandpaper to roughen one side of the ball, an illegal tactic to gain more swing. The scandal led to a major crisis for Cricket Australia, with Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft receiving bans for their involvement. Cummins and his teammates Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon vehemently denied knowing about the ball-tampering.
The four players are back in South Africa for the three-Test series, and Cummins confirmed that he discussed Khawaja's book plans with the author, but refrained from delving into the specifics. Khawaja's upcoming book might revisit the scandal, but Cummins admitted he had no knowledge of the book's contents. Meanwhile, South African broadcaster SuperSport has reignited the controversy by sharing a clip of Bancroft using sandpaper on the ball and the Australian team's reaction during the 2018 Test, warning that their cameras will be "sharp" for the upcoming series.
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