Perth [Australia], November 13 (ANI): David Warner slammed Australian skipper and former teammate Pat Cummins for "throwing Usman Khawaja under the bus" after the pacer denied the explosive claims about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal during the South Africa tour, made in Khawaja's autobiography, and accused him of being "casual and flippant" in the way he presented his side of things.
Cummins on Friday addressed a presser, denying Khawaja's bombshell 2018 Sandpaper Gate revelations made in his autobiography titled 'Sabr' and the effect it has had on him and the Australian cricketing fraternity. During the presser, while Cummins still addressed Khawaja as a friend, he called him out for his "utter nonsense" claims and for being "casual and flippant" with his story, causing harm to the reputations and lives of his teammates.
Warner, who had come to Usman's support when the left-hander called for collective responsibility and revealed that everyone knew about the sandpaper being brought in, said, as quoted by Fox Sports, "Pat Cummins was very well-prepared this morning (Friday). I still stick by Uzzie, and what he’s written in that book."
"It is the truth, and I really, really support him. I actually feel for him at the moment; I feel that the captain today threw Uzzie under the bus, and I am very, very disappointed about that," he added.
Warner said that he, then-captain Steve Smith, who was banned for a year from competitive cricket and Cameron Bancroft, who also received a nine-month suspension, paid a "big price" for the incident.
"All three of us have paid a big price in this. I had not spoken to ‘Banger’ (Bancroft) in eight years, but at the end of the day, we have to live with these consequences daily. We have got to live with these consequences daily, and we have been served a life punishment. So, when other people talk about how they have been affected by it, there is nothing worse for me, Steve and Cameron who have to walk out there every single day."
“We cop abuse. Yes, we accepted it. But, my wife and I pay the greatest price — we lost a baby during that time. That is why it really hurts me the most, until the truth is accepted," he added.
Speaking during the presser at Sydney's Cricket Central, Cummins said, as quoted by Fox Sports, that Khawaja's claims that everyone, including the bowling quartet of Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, were aware of sandpaper being brought to the field were 100 per cent wrong.
"When he says we all knew, if that he means we knew sandpaper was going out on the field, he is 100% wrong," Cummins said.
"I said that consistently for the last eight years. I did not know that was happening. But I think Usman actually says things that are 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," he continued.
While he still termed Usman a friend, he also went on to make serious accusations of a casual approach towards telling his story involving his own long-time teammates and friends and called for some accountability from him.
"Usman is a friend, but friends are not casual with each other's lives and reputations," he said.
"In his book, he has been casual with my life and the lives of many others, and I think Australian cricket."
"I support him to tell his story, 100 per cent. I am glad he feels like he can, but we have to be accountable for the things that we say and do," he continued.
The skipper said that the years-old controversy and the way Khawaja has casually told his story affect Australian cricket and people who are a part of it.
"It affects real people. It affects people's lives. It is also strange. I love Australian cricket. It has given me so much," said Cummins.
"This really affects Australian cricket. And I think the way that he has presented his story, I think he's done that in a very casual manner. And it affects a lot of people. That is what I am grappling with at the moment because I do not think it is okay," he continued.
Cummins also said that Usman had been "quite casual and flippant" with the lives of people and Australian cricket.
"Uzzy is a friend. But I think the way he is quite casual and flippant with people's lives and Australian cricket, I do not think that is okay," Cummins said.
"I played 15 years, my debut for New South Wales and with Australia, Usman was right there, and he has been awesome to me and he is a friend, but this is people's real lives, and this is serious ... this affects not only people, but people's families."
"I am one of the lesser ones ... but talking eight years ago, it was traumatic for those guys. For all of us, for Australian cricket," Cummins said.
"So to bring it up so flippantly and casually, um, I think it is irresponsible," he signed off. (ANI)
"Skipper threw Usman under the bus": Warner disappointed with Cummins' presser on Khawaja's bombshell 2018 ball tampering scandal revelations
