‘Threw Uzzy under the bus’: David Warner criticises Pat Cummins over Khawaja row

David Warner has criticised Australia captain Pat Cummins for “throwing Usman Khawaja under the bus” after the pacer strongly rejected the claims made by his former teammate about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal in South Africa. Cummins addressed the controversy during a press conference on Friday, denying Khawaja’s claims and questioning the way he had presented his side of the incident.

While referring to Khawaja as a friend, the Australian skipper described his allegations as “utter nonsense” and accused him of being “casual and flippant” about the impact on his former teammates.

Warner, who had earlier supported Khawaja’s call for collective responsibility over the scandal, backed the left-hander again.

Speaking to Fox Sports, he said, “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 also pointed out that he, former captain Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft had faced serious consequences following the 2018 incident. Smith received a one-year ban, while Bancroft was suspended for nine months.

“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.

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Cummins strongly rejects Khawaja’s claims

Earlier on Friday, Cummins dismissed Khawaja’s take that the entire Australian team, including the bowling attack of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and himself, knew about sandpaper being taken onto the field.

“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 v that I and others were architects of a scheme to ball tamper with sandpaper. That’s complete and utter nonsense,” he continued.

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Although Cummins maintained that Khawaja was his friend, he questioned his decision to discuss the incident in a way that could affect the reputations of others involved.

“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.

Cummins further accused Khawaja of being “quite casual and flippant” about the impact of his statements on people associated with 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.

With inputs from agencies