Pat Cummins to address media over fresh ball-tampering book claims
What's the story
Australian skipper Pat Cummins has confirmed he will be addressing the media over former teammate Usman Khawaja's recent allegations regarding the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. The controversy erupted during Australia's tour of South Africa, leading to a year-long ban for then-captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner. Cameron Bancroft, who was caught tampering with the ball, was also penalized in connection with the incident.
Revelations
Khawaja's autobiography alleges team-wide complicity in ball-tampering
Khawaja's autobiography, 'Sabr,' has reignited the 2018 ball-tampering saga by claiming that the entire Australian cricket team knew about sandpaper use.
He also alleged that altering the condition of the ball wasn't just limited to Smith, Warner, and Bancroft but was a collective responsibility.
The book further claimed that Aussies used sandpaper in the second Test of the 2018 SA series at Gqeberha before being caught in Cape Town during the third Test.
Media address
Cummins to address media
Cummins, who was part of the Australian team that lost the 2018 series 3-1, said he would be addressing the media about Khawaja's allegations.
He took to X and said he'd be training ahead of his side New South Wales' ongoing Sheffield Shield match with Western Australia.
"Happy to speak with any and all media about the events of this week at 9.30 am," he posted.
Twitter Post
What Cummins wrote on X
I'm training at Cricket Central tomorrow morning before the Blues play in the Shield match.
— Pat Cummins (@patcummins30) November 11, 2026
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…
Support
Warner backs Khawaja's account, slams investigation process
Former Australian opener David Warner earlier came out in support of Khawaja, calling his account "100% accurate."
In a video shared on his Instagram handle, Warner urged people to focus on the issues raised instead of questioning why they were brought up after eight years.
He also criticized the investigation process following the 2018 ball-tampering scandal for not interviewing Khawaja despite him being present with Bancroft.
Personal impact
Warner opens up about personal impact of the scandal
Warner also spoke about the personal impact of the ball-tampering scandal on his family.
He revealed that he had recently explained the incident to his daughters after they sought answers about it.
"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," Warner said.
Information
Khawaja cancels all interviews
Meanwhile, Khawaja has canceled all remaining television and radio interviews for his new book. The decision comes after a tense interview with ABC's Sarah Ferguson, where he was grilled over the ball-tampering scandal. Penguin, the publisher of 'Sabr,' confirmed the news on Wednesday morning.
Scandal
How Sandpapergate sparked widespread outrage
During the 2018 Cape Town Test between South Africa and Australia, Bancroft was caught using sandpaper to tamper with the ball.
The plan involved then-captain Smith and vice-captain Warner. This triggered widespread outrage, leading to lengthy bans for all three players.
CA also took steps to address the team's culture. While Smith and Warner eventually returned to cricket, the controversy tarnished their leadership legacies to an extent.