Cummins addressed a press conference on Friday, reacting to the allegations made by Khawaja.

The former opener claimed that the entire Australian team knew about the ball tampering ploy and how sandpaper was being used on the ball during Test in Cape Town.

However, the current Australia ODI and Test captain Cummins denied the claims, calling Khawaja’s revelations as “complete and utter nonsense.” Reacting to the latest development, Warner said that he was disappointed with Cummins’ remarks.

“Pat Cummins was very well prepared this morning. I still stick by Uzzie and what he’s written in that book. It is the truth and I really, really support him. I actually feel for him at the moment,” Warner said on Fox Cricket on Friday, ahead of the first ODI between Australia and England in Perth.

“I actually feel that the captain today actually threw Uzzie under the bus. And I’m very, very disappointed about that,” he added.

Khawaja’s version of the story contradicts Cricket Australia’s story of only Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft being involved in the row for which they were levelled with heavy penalties. Warner and Smith, vice-captain and captain of the team respectively at the time, were both banned from playing domestic and international cricket for one year, while Bancroft was given a nine-month ban.

Warner described the investigation as “botched”.

“The way it was handled in the first place, it was hard for us actually to go back and give more evidence. It felt like a botched investigation; it was a quick one to get it over and done with. Some of the questions were challenging; they were like planted on us,” said Warner.

“The thing for us is that we don’t have the opportunity to go back there and speak again. Todd Greenberg (Cricket Australia CEO) squashed it the other day,” he added.

Warner further stated that in the last eight years, no one apart from himself, Smith, and Bancroft has spoken about the Sandpaper Gate. He added that he has made peace with the fact that he and Cummins will never agree on the matter.

“And I think the main part about this is that, in 8 years, not one of those people that were in that change room, besides those three, has spoken to us about that. I think that’s the mateship that we talk about, the honesty that you have with each other. There has been no contact or questions about it. Um, and we’re all adults, and we’re open to conversation,” said Warner.

“We’re open to that, but I’ve played golf with Pat Cummins a couple of times. I’ve been in the change room, you know, since then and played and won some World Cups, and it’s just never been questioned or asked about it. At the end of the day, Pat’s not going to agree with me. I’m not going to agree with him. He’s obviously spoken about what he thinks about Uzzy’s book, but I stand by Uzzy and his comments,” he added.

“All three of us have paid a big price in this. I hadn’t spoken about it in eight years. But at the end of the day, we have to live with the consequences daily. When other people talk about how they have been affected by this, there’s nothing worse for me, Cameron and Smith, who have to walk out there every single day and cope with abuse,” said Warner.

“My wife and I lost a baby at that time. That’s what hurts me the most. It has been really difficult.

Warner also hinted towards presenting his version of the story in an autobiography some time later. “In time, potentially. It’s inevitable; everyone writes a book at the end of their careers,” he said.