'Utter nonsense', Australia skipper Cummins denies involvement in sandpaper plot

SYDNEY, Nov 13 : Australia captain Pat Cummins has again denied any involvement in the plot to use sandpaper on the ball in a test against South Africa in 2018, describing the allegations in Usman Khawaja's autobiography as "utter nonsense".

Former Australia batsman Khawaja, whose autobiography was published this week, last weekend said all the players in the team at Newlands knew about the plot, triggering calls for a new investigation into the incident.

"When he says we all knew, if by that he means that we knew sandpaper was going out in the field, he's 100 per cent wrong. I've said that consistently for the last eight years," Cummins told a press conference on Friday.

"I did not know that was happening, but I think Usman actually says things that are actually far more serious than that.

"He says that I and others were architects of a scheme to ball tamper with sandpaper. That's complete and utter nonsense."

Steve Smith and David Warner, the then Australia captain and vice-captain, were banned by Cricket Australia from elite cricket for a year for bringing the game into disrepute over the incident.

Opening batter Cameron Bancroft, who brought a piece of sandpaper onto the field, received a nine-month suspension. All three accepted their punishments and later returned to test cricket.

"I was genuinely shocked this week when I found out that Usman admitted that he told Cam to be careful when using sandpaper, that's not the Usman that I know," Cummins said.

"It's not the Usman that has been part of a team, has helped rebuild the Australian cricket culture over the last eight years."

Cummins said he respected the right of Khawaja to tell his story in the autobiography but felt some of the allegations were very serious and had to be addressed.

"Usman's a friend, but friends aren't casual with each other's lives and reputations.

"In his book, Ussie has been casual with my life and the lives of many others, and I think Australian cricket."

Cummins was asked about Khawaja's recollection that two players had rejected his call for the team to take collective responsibility for the ball-tampering.

"I don't remember any conversation around collective responsibility," he said.

"So then, I've got no idea who those two people would be because I don't remember ever being asked or having a conversation about it."

Cummins said he would not be taking legal action against Khawaja over the allegations in the book.

"I did get advised this week that some of the things that've been said are probably defamatory, but I won't be doing that," Cummins said.

"You've got to move on. It's been eight years. We're moving on. So you got to draw a line at some point."