David Warner has publicly backed Usman Khawaja following the publication of Khawaja's autobiography, accusing Australia captain Pat Cummins of distancing himself from the retired batter's account of the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. Warner made the comments ahead of the first ODI between Australia and England, telling Fox Cricket that he still stands by what Khawaja wrote and truly supports him.

Warner said he felt for Khawaja and was disappointed that the captain had, in his view, thrown him under the bus. Khawaja, who retired from international cricket in January 2026, claimed in the book that every member of the Australian touring party was aware of the plan to use sandpaper on the ball during the second Test against South Africa at Port Elizabeth in 2018. Cummins had met Khawaja in October ahead of publication to discuss its contents, and after the book appeared he questioned why such material was being published while the current squad was touring South Africa.S1S2

Warner stressed that he, Steven Smith and Cameron Bancroft have paid a heavy price for the episode. Warner received a 12-month international ban after 2018, while Bancroft was suspended from domestic cricket for nine months, and Warner said the three have lived with the consequences daily, having accepted the abuse they receive. He also said he and his wife lost a baby during that period, adding that the personal toll hurts him most until the truth is accepted.S1