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‘Gloves are off’ – how Australian papers reacted to Cummins on Khawaja
Pat Cummins has publicly rejected former team-mate Usman Khawaja’s claim that Australia’s whole team knew about the 2018 ball-tampering scheme, reigniting debate over the Sandpapergate scandal. The dispute matters because it has reopened divisions among players and staff over who knew and who should have taken responsibility.
Khawaja’s autobiography, published this week, alleges a coach urged the team to find ways to make the ball swing and that Cameron Bancroft was later encouraged to cheat. Cummins called the claims “100% wrong” and “nonsense” during a news conference lasting more than an hour; some former team-mates have backed Khawaja, while others, including Darren Lehmann and Mitchell Starc, have rejected his account. Australian newspapers highlighted the row with sharply different headlines, including Warner’s criticism that Cummins had “thrown Uzzie under the bus”.
In short
- Cummins rejects Khawaja’s Sandpapergate claims.
- Khawaja says the whole team knew about the scheme.
- The row has divided former Australian team-mates.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Khawaja’s account may be seen as a credible challenge to the version of events that limited responsibility for the ball-tampering scheme to a few players, particularly as some former team-mates have supported him. On this view, revisiting what the team and staff knew matters for accountability and for an honest record of a serious breach.
The case against
Cummins and others may argue that Khawaja’s claims are inaccurate and risk assigning collective blame without reliable evidence, especially given the gravity of alleging that players or staff encouraged cheating. On this view, rejecting the claims is a reasonable defence of those affected and of a careful distinction between established facts and disputed recollections.