Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has vehemently called for Pat Cummins, the current Australian Test and ODI skipper, to reveal the “truth” about the 2018 ball-tampering saga, infamously known as the Sandpaper gate scandal, that has been reopened by Usman Khawaja and backed by David Warner.
Khawaja, who retired earlier this year and was part of the 2018 Cape Town Test and Australian squad, released his autobiography, Sabr, this week. In his book and in the interviews before and after the book’s release, Khawaja made sensational claims that “it was all of us” regarding the events in Cape Town eight years ago.
Khawaja received significant support from Warner, saying, “It’s 100% accurate what you’ve said” in his social media post. Warner also opined that the Cricket Australia (CA) investigation at the time was “botched,” demanding more “accountability” and “transparency” from the board’s higher-ups.
Mitchell Starc continued to deny Khawaja’s claims, saying that “my recollection hasn’t changed” from the joint statement that the bowling quartet issued in 2021 in response to Cameron Bancroft’s suggestion of it being “self explanatory” that the bowlers knew.
Whatever the truth, Pat Cummins has to be completely honest: Michael Clarke
Clarke, who captained Cummins in the early part of the fast bowler’s career, has demanded that Cummins, the “face of Australian cricket,” should speak to the media and “be completely honest” about the events leading up to the drama that unfolded in Cape Town in 2018.
Speaking on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, Clarke said, “I would like Patty (Cummins) to front up to the media. He’s the face of Australian cricket. He’s the captain and has done a very good job. We need to know Patty’s truth. We also need to respect his situation, allow him the freedom to speak his truth. I don’t know what’s happening behind closed doors. I don’t know Patty’s conversations with the bowlers.”
The 2015 World Cup-winning Australian captain was strongly suggestive of Cummins getting “everything his way,” tacitly reminding of Justin Langer’s exit as the coach a few years ago. Clarke asked for accountability from Cummins in this unforeseen tumultuous time for Australian cricket amid the reeruption of the Sandpaper row.
“This is Pat’s opportunity. You want leadership; you want responsibility; you want accountability. This is his chance. And he’s done everything his way: he’s got the coach he’s wanted, he’s got the players he’s wanted, he’s pick and choose selection when he’s wanted; he’s got his way. Exactly what Pat wanted as a captain, he’s got. Well, you can’t have the cake and eat it. He has to front this. And whatever the truth, he has to be completely honest. He can’t shy away from that,” the former skipper added.
Several of the Australian Test players, including Pat Cummins, are rested from the upcoming home ODI series against England, which begins on November 13. So Cummins wouldn’t have an obligatory press conference until December’s home Test series against New Zealand, although given the explosive circumstances, CA might have Cummins speak with the media.
Mitchell Marsh, who was also part of the Cape Town Test, will be leading Australia in the AUS vs ENG ODIs and is expected to speak in the pre-series press conference in Perth.
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