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PlayersAbrasive, arrogant: Pat Cummins addresses 'ugly underbelly' of Australian team in 2018
Current Australia captain Pat Cummins said that the team back in the day had a “win at all costs mentality”.
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Australia Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins addressed the 2018 Sandpapergate on Friday following Usman Khawaja's startling revelations in his autobiography ‘Sabr’.
As opposed to Khawaja's claim, Cummins declined the notion that the entire team knew about the ploy of ball tampering.
Cummins also addressed the “ugly underbelly”, saying the Australian team back in the day had the mentality of wanting to win no matter what. He added that ever since taking over as the captain, he has wanted to change the mindset within his side.
“Today, I’ll talk as Australian captain right now but also talk about the 24-year-old young guy and his recollections of playing my 13th Test back in 2018. In a team that at that stage, I think had a win-at-all-costs mentality. And an ugly underbelly, and there were too many silos within the team," Cummins told reporters.
"Traits that I hope that everyone has seen, and I try very hard to eradicate for the last six years as captain. My memories of coming back into that side was there were parts I didn’t really think was okay,” he added.
Cummins also minced no words, saying the team eight years ago was “abrasive” in the way they approached the game. He added that there was a lot of “arrogance” and “ugliness” involved which didn't sit well with him.
“I thought that the way we acted on the field was quite abrasive. I didn’t like the way we spoke to umpires, the opposition. I think there was a bit of an arrogance and a bit of an ugliness at times that didn’t sit well with me as a young guy," said Cummins.
“And now I’m captain, I have spent a lot of time making sure that that’s not the case with this current Aussie team. And, sorry, I think we have been absolutely brilliant since 2018. I can finish my captaincy and have my players say they felt like they could be themselves and the team, for me it doesn’t get any better than that. There were many things that were shady and I think it’s much better now that a lot of that shadiness is gone," he added.
Skin colour claim
Cummins, 33, also refuted Khawaja's claims of never being appointed captain because of his skin colour. The former Australian opener had said that he was disappointed after being overlooked for the leadership gig once Steve Smith was sent home for his involvement in the ball tampering saga.
Tim Paine had been handed over the responsibility of captaincy, then was then succeeded by Cummins in 2021.
“I just don't think that's the case. I think of the things I've read, that's the most serious. To think that the job I hold is quarantined from people based on their skin colour, it's a pretty big statement. If you are going to say that I think you have to have evidence. And I just don't think that's the case,” said Cummins.
“Again, I agree with Usman on a lot of things but I disagree with him saying that if you're Australian captain you have to be of a certain skin colour, I have to disagree with that statement,” he added.
When asked if he had seen conduct considered racist ever since becoming the Australian captain, Cummins replied, "I'd rather not go into that. I think that's maybe a story for Uzzie. But nothing since I've been captain that I can think of."
