Former Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has raised new questions on the Sandpapergate controversy of 2018. In his autobiography he claimed that the entire team was aware of ball tampering. Cricket Australia has defended the old investigation.
Sports News: The ball tampering controversy of 2018, which shook Australian cricket, is in the news again after eight years. Former opener Usman Khawaja has claimed in his upcoming autobiography 'Sabr' that the ball-tampering scheme during the South Africa tour was not limited to just three players. Other players and support staff of the team were also aware of this. After his statement, questions are being raised again on the old investigation of Cricket Australia.
Khawaja said – only three players were not responsible
Parts of Usman Khawaja's book have been published in an Australian newspaper. In these, he has mentioned the conversation that took place in the Australian dressing room during the 2018 South Africa tour. According to Khawaja, ways to change the condition of the ball were openly discussed within the team. This also included the use of sandpaper. He claimed that the batsmen, bowlers and support staff knew what was going on.
Khawaja said that the entire team should have taken responsibility for this matter, but in the end only Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft had to face punishment. He also told that after the Cape Town Test, in the dressing room, he had asked his teammates to take collective responsibility for the entire matter. However, no consensus could be reached on his point.
Claim of using sandpaper even before Cape Town
Another important thing has come to light in Khwaja's book. He claimed that sandpaper was also used to tamper with the ball during the second Test played in Port Elizabeth before the Cape Town Test. According to him, during this match there was a discussion among the players on ways to reverse swing the ball. Cameron Bancroft had offered to take responsibility for using the sandpaper.
This claim is important because till now the Sandpapergate controversy has mainly been related to the third Test played in Cape Town. However, these new claims by Khawaja have not been independently confirmed. The then Australian coach Darren Lehmann has also said that he was not aware of the plan to use sandpaper.
How did the Sandpapergate controversy unfold in 2018?
In March 2018, the third Test was being played between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town. During the match, TV cameras showed Cameron Bancroft rubbing the surface of the ball with a foreign object. Later it was revealed that it was sandpaper. It was used to spoil the surface of one side of the ball, to help bowlers reverse swing.
After this incident a big controversy arose in Australian cricket. Action was taken against the then captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and Bancroft. Cricket Australia banned Smith and Warner for 12 months each, while Bancroft was suspended for nine months. The role of these three players came to light in the investigation. At that time questions were also raised regarding the information of other players and support staff.
Australian bowlers had denied the allegations
After the Sandpapergate controversy, questions were also raised on Australian bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon. However, all four issued a joint statement in 2021 and clarified that they were not aware of sandpaper being taken on the field to tamper with the ball. He said that he came to know about it only after the incident appeared on the TV screen.
Now Khwaja's new statement has rekindled the old controversy. However, it is important to clarify that Khawaja's claim to have knowledge of the entire team is something the players concerned have previously denied.
Cricket Australia defended the old decision
Following Khawaja's revelations, Cricket Australia has backed its 2018 investigation. The Board spokesperson said that all the relevant information that has come to light so far in this matter has been given due consideration. Cricket Australia is satisfied with its investigation process and its findings. The board also said that if anyone has new information, the opportunity is still available to put it forward.
Pakistan-born Usman Khawaja, 39, has played 88 Tests, 40 ODIs and 9 T20 Internationals for Australia. He has 6,229 runs in his name in Test cricket, which includes 16 centuries. Khawaja retired from international cricket in early 2026. Now he is in the news for his autobiography 'Sabr'.