Pat Cummins did what he had to do, says Justin Langer amid ball-tampering storm

Perth: Former Australia head coach Justin Langer has backed Pat Cummins over his decision to front the media on Sandpaper-gate, adding that the current Test captain was right to give his side of the story at a time when the 2018 scandal has once again caused a storm in Australian cricket.

Cummins held a lengthy press conference on Friday after Usman Khawaja’s autobiography, ‘Sabr’, reopened questions about the Cape Town ball-tampering affair. Cummins denied having any prior knowledge or involvement in the plan to use sandpaper on the ball.

He also went on to dismiss Khawaja’s claim as ‘complete and utter nonsense’ that the whole Australian camp was aware of what was going on in Cape Town. Langer, who is currently commentating on the opening ODI between Australia and England in Perth, and said Cummins had done the right thing.

“I think he did what he had to do. They’re strong leaders; they stand up and it’s obviously turned into a crisis point again. There was a great crisis eight years ago and the way it’s been reopened this week, there’s a crisis in Australian cricket.

“And the captain stood up. Mitch Marsh stood up yesterday, and hopefully that’ll put some sort of line in the sand, because we have to move on it,” Langer said on SEN Radio.

The former Australian opener said the controversy was hurting the whole cricket community and not only the players involved. “There’s too many people being hurt in Australian cricket, there’s too many people, and that includes the Australian public.

“When I talk about Australian cricket, it’s about the public, it’s about the fans, it’s about the players, it’s about everyone who’s involved, the past players, the present players, future players.”

Langer added that it was too early to say whether Cummins’ decision to speak would calm the situation. “We have to draw a line in the sand somewhere. Too many people are getting hurt, Australian cricket’s being hurt, and whether the press conference is going to help that, or hinder it, time will tell.”

Langer’s support for Cummins contrasts with the reaction of former opener David Warner, one of the three players banned over the scandal. On Fox Sports, Warner said that he was very disappointed over Cummins throwing Khawaja ‘under the bus.’

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