David Warner has criticised Australian Test captain Pat Cummins for publicly rejecting Usman Khawaja’s claims about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, accusing him of throwing his former teammate under the bus.
Warner made the comments on Friday while working as a Fox Cricket commentator during Australia’s one-day international against England at Perth’s Optus Stadium.
The former Australia opener also spoke about the personal consequences of the scandal, revealing that he and his wife, Candice, suffered the loss of an unborn child shortly after returning from South Africa.
Warner Backs Khawaja Amid Fresh Sandpapergate Dispute
The latest disagreement follows explosive claims in Khawaja’s recently released biography, in which he alleged that the Australian team knew about the plan to use sandpaper during the 2018 Test series in South Africa.
Cummins dismissed the allegations earlier on Friday, describing them as “complete and utter nonsense”.
However, Warner, who has maintained a close friendship with Khawaja since childhood, publicly defended his former teammate and questioned the Australian captain’s response.
“I still stick by what Uzzie’s written in that book; it’s the truth,” Warner said.
He added that he felt sorry for Khawaja over the reaction to his claims and was disappointed by Cummins’ decision to challenge them publicly.
“I actually feel for him at the moment.
I actually feel that the captain today threw Uzzie under the bus and I’m very, very disappointed,” Warner said.
Warner Reveals Family’s Pain Following 2018 Scandal
During the broadcast, Warner discussed the impact the ball-tampering controversy had on his family, revealing that he and Candice experienced a miscarriage after returning home from South Africa.
The couple lost their unborn child approximately one week after arriving back in Sydney with their young daughters.
Warner said the experience remained one of the most painful aspects of the entire controversy.
“Yes, we accepted it, but at the end of the day my wife and I copped the greatest price; we lost a baby during that time, and that’s why it really hurts me the most until the truth is accepted,” he said.
The cricketer also reflected on the lengthy consequences faced by himself, former captain Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft, who received significant suspensions from Cricket Australia over their involvement in the scandal.
Warner said the three men continued to face criticism and abuse years after serving their punishments.
“All three of us have paid a big price. I hadn’t spoken about it in eight years, but at the end of the day we have to live with these consequences daily, and we’ve been served a life punishment,” he said.
He added that the ongoing public reaction had made it difficult for them to move beyond the incident.
Warner Questions Teammates’ Silence Over the Scandal
Warner also questioned the lack of communication from other members of the Australian dressing room since the controversy erupted.
According to him, neither he nor the other players involved had received any meaningful contact from teammates seeking to discuss what happened.
He said he had spoken with Khawaja and Bancroft following the latest developments and that both were upset by the situation.
“In the eight years since, not one of those people in that changeroom have spoken to us about it,” Warner said.
He questioned the sense of friendship and honesty within the team, arguing that there had been no effort to address the incident privately.
Warner also revealed that he had played golf with Cummins and shared dressing rooms with him during Australia’s subsequent international campaigns, but the subject had never been raised between them.
He acknowledged that Cummins was unlikely to agree with his position but insisted he continued to support Khawaja’s account.
Warner Casts Doubt on Original Cricket Australia Investigation
The former Australia vice-captain also questioned how Cricket Australia’s original investigation into the ball-tampering scandal was conducted.
During the broadcast, former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist asked whether the governing body should reopen the investigation.
Warner responded that Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg had recently ruled out another investigation.
He described the original process as rushed and said he believed the authorities had wanted to conclude the matter quickly.
“It felt like it was a botched investigation; it was a quick one to get it over and done with,” Warner said.
He added that some of the questions put to the players were challenging and that the three individuals involved had ultimately accepted responsibility before moving forward.
When former England captain Michael Vaughan asked whether he had definitive evidence that other Australian players knew about the sandpaper plan, Warner suggested that further discussions could take place privately following the renewed controversy.
“There will be conversations behind the scenes after all this,” he said.
Cummins Rejects Claims That Australian Team Knew About Sandpaper
Cummins had earlier addressed Khawaja’s allegations, reiterating his long-standing position that he and the other bowlers were unaware that sandpaper was being taken onto the field during the Cape Town Test in March 2018.
The Australian captain also referenced a statement issued in 2021 alongside Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, in which the four bowlers denied knowing about the plan.
He insisted that Khawaja’s suggestion that the wider team knew about the illegal ball-tampering tactics was incorrect.
“When Khawaja 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,” Cummins said.
He also rejected the suggestion that he and other players had helped organise the scheme.
“He’s something I’ve actually been grappling with the last couple days… Usman is a friend, but I think the way he’s been quite casual and flippant with people’s lives and reputations… I don’t think that’s okay, and I don’t think that’s what friends do,” he said.
When a reporter asked which of the two former teammates was telling the truth, Cummins maintained his position, saying: “Well, that’s my story. So, I think (Usman’s) wrong.”
He also confirmed that he had no intention of pursuing legal action over the allegations.
Candice Warner Previously Opened Up About Her Miscarriage
Candice Warner had previously spoken publicly about the miscarriage, describing the experience as a heartbreaking consequence of the difficult period surrounding the ball-tampering scandal.
In an interview with Nine’s Now to Love, she recalled waking up feeling unwell and discovering that she was bleeding.
“I woke up feeling pretty ordinary. I called Dave to the bathroom and told him I was bleeding.
We knew I was miscarrying and we held one another and cried,” she said.
Candice explained that the incident came after weeks of public humiliation and emotional distress following the scandal.
She said the experience prompted the couple to reconsider how much influence professional sport should have over their family life.
She also revealed that she had initially blamed herself for the loss but had since reached a different understanding of what happened.
Candice described herself as a spiritual person and said she believed the child was not meant to be with them at that time.
The couple later welcomed their third daughter, approximately a year after the miscarriage.
