Cummins denies knowledge of sandpaper plot after Khawaja memoir claims

Australia captain Pat Cummins has denied knowing that sandpaper was being used during the 2018 Cape Town Test, responding publicly to allegations in former teammate Usman Khawaja's memoir. Speaking to reporters in Sydney on Friday, Cummins rejected both the claim that the whole team knew and suggestions that he helped devise the scheme.

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According to ABC's reporting of the press conference, Cummins said he had consistently denied prior knowledge for eight years. He also disputed the allegation that he and others had organised ball tampering with sandpaper. The session lasted more than an hour, with the captain offering to keep answering questions about the episode.

Khawaja's account has renewed scrutiny of the third Test against South Africa, when Cameron Bancroft was caught with sandpaper. The BBC reported that Khawaja's book says the team should have accepted collective responsibility. Khawaja has subsequently declined to identify precisely who he says knew about the plan or explain the extent of their knowledge.

The original investigation resulted in 12-month bans for then-captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner, while Bancroft received a nine-month suspension, the Associated Press reported. Warner has backed Khawaja's account and criticised Cummins' response. The conflicting public accounts have not established that Cummins or other players outside the sanctioned trio participated in the sandpaper scheme.

Cummins also addressed the personal consequences of the allegations. ABC reported that he supported Khawaja's right to tell his story but believed his former teammate had treated other people's reputations carelessly. He said he was surprised by Khawaja's account of warning Bancroft to be careful, contrasting that description with the teammate he knew.

Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg has ruled out reopening the investigation, according to the BBC. Asked about a fresh inquiry, Cummins said that decision belonged to the governing body. Smith and Bancroft had not publicly responded to the latest book claims at the time of the BBC report, leaving the disagreement between the published account and Cummins' denial unresolved.