SYDNEY: Former Australia opener David Warner has hit back at captain Pat Cummins over his comments on the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, accusing him of leaving Usman Khawaja isolated during a difficult period.
Tensions between former and current Australian cricketers have resurfaced over the infamous 2018 ball-tampering scandal, with fresh disagreements emerging following revelations in Khawaja’s recently published autobiography.
Cummins faced a series of questions about the scandal during an extended 70-minute media conference on Friday morning. He rejected claims made in Khawaja’s book, describing them as baseless and insisting that the entire Australian team was not aware of the plan to use sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball during the Test series against South Africa.
The Australian captain reportedly described Khawaja’s allegations as “complete rubbish” and acknowledged that the revelations had affected their long-standing friendship. However, he said he would try to resolve their differences.
Cummins also indicated that Friday’s press conference would be his final public discussion of the sandpaper scandal. Nevertheless, his comments have triggered further reactions from former teammates.
Warner, a close friend of Khawaja and one of the players directly involved in the scandal, expressed disappointment with Cummins’ response during an interview with Fox Cricket.
He said he felt sorry for Khawaja and believed the Australian captain had left him alone when he needed support the most.
Warner also reaffirmed his support for Khawaja’s account of events, saying he remained firmly behind his former teammate despite Cummins’ rejection of the claims.
The 2018 ball-tampering scandal resulted in suspensions for Warner, former captain Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft over their involvement in the incident during the South Africa tour.
Reflecting on the controversy, Warner said the three players had paid a heavy price over the past eight years and continued to face criticism and abuse over the incident.
He added that they had remained silent for years, but the consequences of the scandal continued to affect their lives.
Warner also revealed that he and his wife had suffered the loss of a child during the period surrounding the controversy, describing it as one of the most painful aspects of that chapter in his life. He said the pain would remain until the full facts were acknowledged.
Meanwhile, Smith has yet to respond publicly to the latest revelations, although he is expected to address the media soon.
Bancroft also avoided commenting on the renewed controversy when approached by reporters at an airport earlier this week.
Former Australian player Mitchell Marsh similarly declined to directly address questions about the sandpaper scandal during a press conference on Thursday ahead of the one-day international series against England.
Warner maintained that Cummins appeared well-prepared for his media appearance but reiterated that he continued to stand with Khawaja and supported the account presented in his book.
