Former Pacer Chadd Sayers Challenges Captain Pat Cummins on 2018 Sandpapergate Scandal

Former Australian fast bowler Chadd Sayers has rejected captain Pat Cummins' recent denials about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, stating that every member of the playing squad was aware of the illegal tactic. Sayers, who served as the 12th man during the infamous Cape Town Test and played his only Test match on that tour in Johannesburg, spoke to SEN radio to back claims made by former teammate Usman Khawaja. Khawaja recently published an autobiography alleging the entire team knew about the plot and had engaged in similar actions previously. Cummins dismissed these assertions as complete nonsense and denied any prior awareness of the plan. Sayers described Cummins' rebuttal as awkward and criticized the captain for making personal remarks against Khawaja during his press briefing. According to Sayers, players and staff spent between 60 to 90 minutes in the changing rooms after the day's play discussing the fallout and how to handle responsibility.

Context

The 2018 ball-tampering scandal remains one of the darkest chapters in Australian cricket history, leading to heavy sanctions against players like Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft. Years later, newly published memoirs and retired players speaking out continue to reignite debates over institutional accountability and how much the wider dressing room actually knew at the time.