England captain Harry Brook has firmly stated that he has never witnessed ball tampering during his international career, after the 2018 Sandpapergate scandal was thrust back into the spotlight by Usman Khawaja’s newly released autobiography. Brook made the remarks ahead of the first ODI between England and Australia at Perth Stadium on November 12, 2026, with the eight-match white-ball series set to get under way at the venue.

Khawaja‘s autobiography, titled ‘Sabr’, was released on November 10, 2026, and contained claims that the entire Australian team was aware of sandpaper being used on the ball during the Cape Town Test at Newlands Cricket Ground in March 2018. He further alleged that sandpaper had been used in the previous Test at Port Elizabeth as well, significantly widening the scope of what was previously understood about the incident.

“I’ve never seen any ball tampering before. I wasn’t in that (Australia) dressing room. I think I was about 17 or 18 years old, so I was completely oblivious to any of that stuff. But we’re here in Australia, we’re looking forward to this series and all we can do is concentrate on ourselves and getting ourselves as ready as possible. We’re just trying to concentrate on ourselves at the minute. That’s all we can do. We’re here to play against a strong Australian side in their backyard,” Brook said in the pre-match press conference, as quoted by The Independent.

How did the 2018 sandpaper scandal unfold?

Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera using sandpaper on the ball on March 24, 2018, during that Cape Town Test. Following a Cricket Australia inquiry, Bancroft received a nine-month ban from domestic cricket, while David Warner was handed a twelve-month ban from international cricket and Steve Smith also faced sanctions.

David Warner subsequently endorsed Khawaja’s account, saying everything in the book was ‘100% accurate’. Despite the renewed attention, Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg confirmed that the governing body would not be reopening its 2018 investigation in light of the book’s revelations. Joe Root, whose first captaincy reign coincided with the original sandpaper saga, brushed off comments about tampering being commonplace among international teams during that time period.

“I can only speak from my own experiences and that’s not how I feel, no,” Root said to the local press, via the aforementioned source.

What is the state of England’s squad and recent form heading into the Perth ODI?

England‘s recent record in Western Australia also provides a sobering backdrop, with the side having lost a Test inside two days on their previous visit, being bowled out across overs 32.5 and 34.4 respectively. Australia’s white-ball captain Mitch Marsh will lead the hosts at Perth Stadium, the same venue where the most recent Ashes series began.

“Australia against England is always a good series and we’re looking forward to kickstarting it. We’re very happy to be out here. We’re all really raring to go here at Optus Stadium, which is where the last Ashes started. It’s an amazing place to play cricket – the atmosphere when we played here was unbelievable,” Brook said.

The Three Lions will be without seamer Josh Tongue, who picked up a toe injury, and have been dealt a further blow with the setback to Jacob Bethell, who has been out of action with a knee injury since July. He underwent surgery in September and was in line to feature in the series, but has flown back to England for scans after experiencing discomfort during a practice session. Brook expressed disappointment over the all-rounder’s absence.

“It’s very disappointing and I know how hard he’s [Bethell] worked over the last few months to try to get back. I’m very disappointed for him, everybody is, and he’s a little bit upset at the moment, but hopefully he’ll be back as quick as possible,” Brook added.

Star Indian batter Rishabh Pant departed for New Zealand on November 13, 2026, and is set to link up with the Indian Test squad in Wellington on November 14. He has been cleared by the BCCI medical staff after recovering from a side strain that he sustained while captaining the Rest of India side during the Irani Cup in Srinagar between October 1 and 4.

Pant had been named in India’s Test squad for the New Zealand tour, subject to fitness clearance. However, the injury ruled him out of the first two four-day matches of the tour. He subsequently underwent rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru from October 23.

As reported by Cricinfo, his original plan was to travel in time for the third India A fixture, scheduled between November 7 and 10, but the BCCI medical team extended his rehabilitation programme after wanting more time to assess his readiness at the Centre of Excellence.

The three-match Test series opens in Wellington on November 19, with the second Test scheduled to begin in Christchurch on November 27. The series carries significant weight for India’s World Test Championship campaign, with South Africa and Australia also in contention ahead of the final.

How did India A perform in the warm-up matches before Pant’s arrival?

India A played five matches in New Zealand to prepare the squad for the Test series. Shubman Gill and KL Rahul were part of the India A setup alongside Anshul Kamboj during those fixtures against New Zealand A. Several players used the warm-up games to press their claims with strong performances.

Dhruv Jurel, who will serve as the reserve wicketkeeper in the Test squad, scored a half-century across four innings and also made a hundred against New Zealand A. Sai Sudharsan accumulated 88 runs across five innings, with scores of 91 among his contributions against the New Zealand A side. Devdutt Padikkal was equally productive, scoring 80 across five innings and registering a knock of 199 during the tour games against New Zealand A.

What does Pant’s return mean for India’s Test wicketkeeping plans?

With Pant now cleared and on his way to Wellington, he is expected to be available for selection from the first Test onward, which begins on November 19. Dhruv Jurel had been keeping wicket in his absence during the warm-up matches and produced solid returns with both bat and gloves.

Jurel’s hundred and consistent half-centuries across four innings against New Zealand A demonstrated his readiness, though Pant’s clearance means the senior wicketkeeper is in line to reclaim his place in the playing eleven. The BCCI had included Pant in the Test squad announced on October 17, with the fitness condition attached, and that condition has now been met.

India full squad for New Zealand Test series

Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant (WK)*, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj

On November 12 2026, Becky Cummins uploaded a photograph to Instagram featuring Pat Cummins and their daughter Edith, captioning it ‘My loves’. The post surfaced within hours of a video circulating widely online that showed the couple in an animated conversation on the street outside their Bronte home in Sydney. Pat subsequently reshared the image on his Instagram Stories, though neither he nor Becky issued any statement connecting the post to the footage or clarifying what the exchange was about.

The video was filmed on November 11 2026 and captured the pair’s visible expressions and body language during a street-side interaction outside their Sydney residence. No audio was recorded, leaving the subject of the conversation entirely unknown. According to reports, the clip accumulated close to 50,000 shares across social media platforms before the family photograph appeared online.

What is the backdrop to the viral video?

The footage emerged at a moment of heightened scrutiny for Pat Cummins. Australia’s white-ball series against England was scheduled to begin on November 13 2026, with Cummins resting from the squad. At the same time, renewed attention had been directed at Australia’s 2018 ball-tampering scandal, widely known as Sandpapergate, after Usman Khawaja made fresh claims about the episode in his newly released memoir, Sabr. The combination of these circumstances placed the Cummins household under considerable public interest, though the animated exchange itself has not been connected to any confirmed cricket matter.

Becky, a British-born interior designer, crossed paths with Pat at a bar in Sydney’s King’s Cross district in 2013, at which point he was 20 years old. The couple spent close to nine years together before tying the knot in Byron Bay in August 2022. They are parents to two children: daughter Edith, who arrived in October 2021, and son Albie, born in February 2025.

What do we know about the Instagram post and the public reaction?

The timing of Becky’s Instagram post drew immediate attention given how closely it followed the viral clip. The photograph showed Pat alongside Edith and carried the caption ‘My loves’. Pat’s decision to reshare it on his Instagram Stories was widely noted, yet neither party offered any clarification on whether the upload was a deliberate response to the online speculation or simply a routine family moment shared publicly.

The video’s spread to close to 50,000 shares underlined the level of interest in the Cummins family at a time when Sandpapergate was again a live topic in Australian cricket circles. However, no verified information links the content of the animated exchange to the Khawaja memoir or any other specific matter. The exact subject of the conversation between Pat and Becky remains unconfirmed.