‘Unexploded grenades remain buried’ from Sandpapergate. Australia has the right man to dodge them — Whateley

Gerard Whateley argues that Australia captain Pat Cummins possesses the ideal temperament to navigate lingering tensions from the 2018 Sandpapergate scandal during Australia's three-Test tour of South Africa. Returning to the country for a Test series for the first time since the ball-tampering incident, Australia faces a challenging environment where unresolved past controversies continue to cast a shadow over the matchup.

Whateley reflects on the toxic hostility of the 2018 series, highlighting altercations involving David Warner, Nathan Lyon, and Kagiso Rabada. He asserts that Cummins' calm, unfussed demeanor contrasts sharply with Australia's previous combative culture, positioning him to lead the team past the historical friction without repeating past mistakes.