Australia cricket captain Pat Cummins has confirmed he recently spoke with former teammate Usman Khawaja regarding his upcoming autobiography, set for release in November. Despite the historical sensitivity surrounding the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, Cummins stated he has no concerns about potential new details Khawaja might reveal about the infamous Cape Town incident.
Cummins noted that Khawaja provided him with a brief heads-up about the project a few weeks ago. The captain remarked that Khawaja did not offer specific details, but he expressed support for his former colleague, encouraging him to share his story. Cummins emphasized that the matter was thoroughly investigated and addressed years ago, and that the team has since moved forward. According to uz gave me a buzz a few weeks back that he is releasing a book,”, Cummins. “He didn’t go into too much detail, just basically gave me the heads-up that he is doing a book and, as always, no worries.
The Australian squad is currently preparing for their first Test series in South Africa since the 2018 controversy erupted. As the team gears up for the opening Test in Durban, four Australian bowlers who played during that series—Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon—are once again united. These players have consistently denied having any prior knowledge of the plot to alter the ball.
The 2018 incident resulted in bans for then-captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner, and opening batter Cameron Bancroft. Smith previously stated the plan was devised by the team’s leadership group, while Bancroft was famously caught on camera using sandpaper to manipulate the ball. In a 2021 interview with the Guardian, when asked if the bowlers were aware of the tampering, Bancroft suggested the answer was self-explanatory, a claim that has fueled lingering questions about how the bowling unit remained unaware of the ball’s changing condition.
Cummins and Khawaja share a history spanning 56 Test matches together. Reflecting on the past, Cummins maintained that the team has evolved positively over the last eight to nine years, and his primary focus remains on his leadership duties rather than revisiting old allegations. Khawaja, who participated in all four Tests of that 2018 South African tour, retired from international cricket this past January.
