Pat Cummins to address Usman Khawaja's Sandpapergate claims on Friday

Australia Test captain Pat Cummins has confirmed he will speak publicly on Friday following Usman Khawaja's allegations about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.

Khawaja claimed in his autobiography Sabr that the entire Australian dressing room knew about the plan to alter the condition of the ball during the Cape Town Test.

Cummins announced that he would answer questions at Cricket Central in Sydney at 9.30am local time, explaining that he wanted to fully understand the allegations before responding.

The controversy has resurfaced eight years after Cameron Bancroft was caught using sandpaper on the ball. Bancroft, Steve Smith and David Warner were subsequently suspended.

Warner has supported Khawaja's account, while Mitchell Starc has maintained that he had no prior knowledge of the scheme.

Cummins was among four Australian bowlers who issued a statement in 2021 denying knowledge of the incident.

Cricket Australia has ruled out reopening its investigation despite the renewed controversy.