Cummins Calls Khawaja's Sandpaper Claims "Utter Nonsense"

Australia Test captain Pat Cummins has rejected a claim from former team-mate Usman Khawaja that the entire touring squad knew about ball-tampering during the 2018 tour of South Africa, calling the suggestion "utter nonsense." Khawaja, who has since retired, made the allegation in his autobiography, reopening one of the most damaging chapters in recent Australian cricket.

The episode, widely known as Sandpapergate, came to light in Cape Town in March 2018, when Cameron Bancroft was caught using sandpaper to alter the ball. Captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner were later banned for their part in the scandal, and the fallout prompted a long period of soul-searching across the team and the wider sport in Australia.

Khawaja's version moves the knowledge beyond the small group that was punished at the time. By saying the whole side was aware, he places responsibility on the entire touring party rather than the players who were sanctioned. It is not clear from the reporting so far what evidence, if any, he offered beyond his own recollection.

Cummins's response was blunt. As the current Test captain, he has a clear stake in how the squad's history is remembered, and his rejection of the claim signals that the leadership group does not accept the wider-guilt narrative. It is a rare public disagreement between the current captain and a player who once shared a dressing room with the men involved.

The exchange is likely to keep the scandal in the headlines, particularly as Khawaja's book reaches a wider audience. Whether it leads to any formal review or further comment from Cricket Australia remains to be seen.