Sydney: Australian batter Usman Khawaja has reignited the controversy surrounding the infamous 2018 Sandpapergate scandal, claiming that the entire Australian team was aware of the ball-tampering operation and that the practice had also been used during the Test preceding the Cape Town incident.
In explosive revelations ahead of the release of his autobiography Sabr, Khawaja has challenged the long-standing narrative that the ball-tampering controversy was limited to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.
Speaking to Nine newspapers, Khawaja insisted that responsibility for the incident extended beyond the three players who were punished by Cricket Australia (CA).
“It was all of us. Not the batters, not the bowlers, not the staff. All of us,” Khawaja said.
The revelations are expected to feature prominently in his autobiography, scheduled for publication on Tuesday. Khawaja has reportedly written the book himself and had already informed Australia captain Pat Cummins and Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg about its contents.
The 2018 scandal erupted during the third Test between Australia and South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town, when television cameras captured Bancroft using sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball.
The incident triggered one of the biggest controversies in modern cricket and resulted in severe disciplinary action. Smith and Warner received 12-month bans from international and domestic cricket, while Bancroft was suspended for nine months. Warner was also handed a lifetime ban from leadership positions, although that restriction was overturned in 2024.
Until now, the public explanation had largely centred on the involvement of those three players. Khawaja’s latest comments suggest that the issue was more widespread than previously acknowledged.
Khawaja questions investigation into Sandpapergate
One of the most significant aspects of Khawaja’s revelations concerns Cricket Australia’s investigation into the Cape Town incident.
The former Australia opener claimed that he was never interviewed by the investigators despite being part of the dressing room and sitting alongside Bancroft during the Test match.
Khawaja said he was waiting to be contacted by Cricket Australia’s investigation team but never received a call before the disciplinary decisions were announced.
He suggested that investigators may have avoided questioning him because they knew he believed the entire team should accept collective responsibility.
The investigation was conducted by then Cricket Australia head of integrity Iain Roy and team performance manager Pat Howard, who travelled to Cape Town between the third and fourth Tests. The inquiry eventually resulted in sanctions against Smith, Warner and Bancroft.
Khawaja said he had been surprised that his account was never sought during the process.
Khawaja says Smith, Warner and Bancroft deserved better
Explaining why he has decided to speak publicly after eight years, Khawaja said he initially expected someone else involved in the controversy to reveal the complete story.
However, he eventually felt compelled to address the issue, believing that Smith, Warner and Bancroft had carried the consequences without the wider team accepting responsibility.
He particularly highlighted the treatment of Warner and Bancroft, arguing that both continued to face the repercussions of the scandal long after serving their suspensions.
Khawaja maintained that he had advocated collective responsibility immediately after the incident and believed the team should have stood together rather than allowing three individuals to bear the entire burden.
He also acknowledged that Smith managed to rebuild his career and return to his position among the world’s leading batters, although the experience continued to affect him.
According to Khawaja, none of the three players wanted to be the first to reopen the controversy because their accounts could simply have been dismissed as self-serving explanations.
Previous allegations about Australia’s bowlers
Khawaja’s claims also bring renewed attention to comments made by Bancroft in 2021.
During an interview with The Guardian, Bancroft suggested that Australia’s bowlers would have been aware of the ball-tampering tactics being used during the Cape Town Test.
The comments prompted a response from Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, who jointly denied knowing that a foreign substance had been taken onto the field to change the condition of the ball.
The four bowlers maintained that they became aware of the use of sandpaper only after seeing the television footage displayed on the stadium’s big screen.
Khawaja’s latest statements could once again put those denials and the findings of Cricket Australia’s original investigation under scrutiny.
Khawaja makes fresh claims about South Africa
The Australia batter also made controversial comments about South Africa’s approach to reverse swing, claiming that the hosts were considerably more skilled at manipulating the ball’s condition.
Khawaja suggested that Australia were attempting to match South Africa’s methods and indicated that his autobiography would contain further details about what he had heard from one of the South African players.
South Africa’s former captain Faf du Plessis had previously faced disciplinary action for ball-tampering on two occasions, including an incident involving the use of saliva after eating a mint during a Test against Australia.
Cricket Australia has responded to Khawaja’s interview by defending the integrity of its original investigation.
The governing body said it remained satisfied with the findings of the process and maintained that all relevant information presented to it had been properly considered.
With the publication of Sabr expected to bring further details into the public domain, the 2018 Sandpapergate controversy has once again become a major talking point in international cricket.
