'Tell Your Story': Cummins Unfazed by Khawaja's Potential Sandpaper Gate Revelations in His Autobiography (WATCH)

Pat Cummins is unfazed by potential revelations about Australia's 2018 Sandpaper Scandal in Usman Khawaja's autobiography, 'Sabr '. Cummins said the team has moved on and backed Khawaja to tell his story.

Usman Khawaja and Pat Cummins (File Photo)

Image Credit: X/@sportbible

Australia Test captain Pat Cummins has expressed his complete indifference and unconcern about potential revelations of the infamous 2018 Sandpaper Scandal in the upcoming autobiography by his former teammate and opener Usman Khawaja.

After 8 years, Australia will play their first match on South African soil in Durban on Friday, October 9, followed by further clashes scheduled at St George's Park in Gqeberha and Newlands in Cape Town. The 2018 Test series between the two fierce rivals was centered around a controversial act of unsportsmanlike conduct by Australian cricketers.

Then skipper Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft, who was caught on camera using sandpaper on the ball, became the center of a storm that permanently altered the landscape of Australian cricket.

‘Tell Your Story’

Usman Khawaja’s autobiography ‘Sabr’ will be officially launched in November, likely detailing his cricketing journey, personal challenges, and untold dressing-room stories, with many anticipating fresh insights into the turbulent events of the 2018 tour.

Speaking to the reporters at the press conference on the eve of the Durban Test, Cummins revealed that Khawaja had spoken to him about the book and that he was comfortable with former Australian opener telling his side of the story, including details surrounding the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.

"Yeah, Uz (Usman Khawaja) gave me a buzz a few weeks back, [saying] that he's releasing a book." Cummins said.

“He didn't go back into too much detail. He just basically gave me a heads-up that he's doing a book. As always, [my response was], 'No worries, you can tell your story. That's fine.'" he added.

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Both Usman Khawaja and Pat Cummins were part of Australia's Test tour of South Africa in 2018 when the notorious ball-tampering scandal unfolded at Newlands. Khawaja played in four Tests and scored 165 runs, including 2 fifties, at an average of 20.62 in 8 innings.

Khawaja retired from international cricket after playing his last Test in front of his home crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January this year.

Cummins Unfazed by Resurfaced 2018 Scrutiny

When asked about his recent conversation with Usman Khawaja, Pat Cummins stated that he was completely unbothered by what might come to light, emphasizing that the team has long since put the turbulent chapter behind them.

“I'm not too sure. You'll need to ask him. It was obviously a long time ago. All the investigations and everything was done back then. I answered every question a million times. It was dealt with then," Cummins told reporters.

"All I can say is [that] as a group, we've moved on. [I am] very happy with the last eight or nine years, how we've been as a group and evolved, and obviously my focus is on captaining the cricket team," he added.

Steve Smith and David Warner were handed a one-year ban from playing professional cricket while Cameron Bancroft received a nine-month suspension from Cricket Australia. Smith is still part of the Australian Test squad, while Warner retired from international cricket in 2024 and Bancroft continues to play domestic cricket.

Meanwhile, Australia recently played a two-day warm-up match against Cricket South Africa (CSA) Invitation XI, where Marnus Labuschagne (111) scored a century while vice-captain Steve Smith (61) and wicketkeeper- batter Alex Carey (57) hit valuable fifties to head into the series opener with much-needed runs under their belts.