Pat Cummins, Australia's Test and ODI captain, addressed the media about ex-teammate Usman Khawaja’s sensational revelations about the 2018 Sandpapergate ball tampering in his autobiography, 'Sabr.' Cummins rejected Khawaja's assertion that the team as a whole was aware of the ball tampering ruse.
Cummins also recognized the existence of an “ugly underbelly,” recognizing that the Australian side had already exhibited a “win-at-all-costs mentality” in the past. Moreover, he recognized that since taking up captaincy, he has tried to change the collective mentality of the team.
“Today, I’ll talk as an Australian captain right now but also talk about the 24-year-old young guy and his recollections of playing my 13th Test back in 2018. In a team that, at that stage, I think, had a win-at-all-costs mentality. And an ugly underbelly, and there were too many silos within the team. Traits that I hope everyone has seen, and I try very hard to eradicate for the last six years as captain. My memories of coming back into that side were that there were parts I didn’t really think were okay,” Cummins said at the presser, as quoted by ANI.
Cummins also minced no words, saying the team eight years ago was “abrasive” in the way they approached the game. He added that there was a lot of “arrogance” and “ugliness” involved, which didn't sit well with him.
“I thought that the way we acted on the field was quite abrasive. I didn’t like the way we spoke to umpires and the opposition. I think there was a bit of an arrogance and a bit of an ugliness at times that didn’t sit well with me as a young guy," said Cummins.
“And now I’m captain; I have spent a lot of time making sure that that’s not the case with this current Aussie team. And, sorry, I think we have been absolutely brilliant since 2018. I can finish my captaincy and have my players say they felt like they could be themselves and the team; for me, it doesn’t get any better than that. There were many things that were shady, and I think it’s much better now that a lot of that shadiness is gone," he added.
Cummins also denied Khawaja’s claim that his exclusion as a captain was because of racial discrimination. According to Khawaja, he had been disappointed in not being considered a captain since Steve Smith was banned from captaincy amid ball-tampering. Tim Paine succeeded Smith as captain, and then Cummins took over in 2021.
“I just don't think that's the case. I think of the things I've read; that's the most serious. To think that the job I hold is quarantined from people based on their skin color, it's a pretty big statement. If you are going to say that, I think you have to have evidence. And I just don't think that's the case. Again, I agree with Usman on a lot of things, but I disagree with him saying that if you're an Australian captain, you have to be of a certain skin color. I have to disagree with that statement,” Cummins added.
(ANI inputs)
