‘All of us’: CA respond after Khawaja’s explosive sandpaper claims
Updated . First published
Usman Khawaja‘s new book has blown the whistle on the 2018 Cape Town ball-tampering scandal, documenting a timeline that contradicts Cricket Australia’s findings.
While CA concluded that only David Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft had prior knowledge of the plot, and handed them severe suspensions, Khawaja insists the truth is different.
Usman Khawaja broke his silence on Sandpapergate. Getty
“It was all of us. Not the batters, not the bowlers, not the staff. All of us,” he said to the Sydney Morning Herald.
In his new book, Sabr, Khawaja outlines several startling revelations including claims the team openly debated ways to rough up the ball earlier in the tour, culminating in the discovery of sandpaper.
In response to these explosive revelations, Cricket Australia put out a statement to defend their processes to investigate the 2018 incident, saying they are “comfortable” with their findings.
“There has been a great deal of speculation in the eight years since the 2018 Cape Town Test, including extensive media coverage throughout last month’s series in South Africa,” the statement read.
“During this time there has been the ongoing opportunity to present any relevant information, and this remains the case.
“All relevant information presented to CA to date has been properly considered and we remain comfortable with the findings of our integrity process.”
Khawaja revelaed that Bancroft had already volunteered to use sandpaper earlier in the series during the Gqeberha Test, where players discussed how the ball was swinging.
The book also points to staff involvement during the Newlands Test, noting that an exchange between Bancroft and a member of staff played a role in the infamous incident.
In the immediate aftermath, Khawaja unsuccessfully tried to convince Smith not to rush into the disastrous post-play press conference.
Following the fallout, Khawaja had urged the dressing room to take collective responsibility.
Instead, the blame fell entirely on Warner, Smith and Bancroft, the idea reiterated in 2021, as bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon collectively denied knowing about the sandpaper being brought on to the field in a carefully worded public statement to the media.
Eight years later, Khawaja notes that Warner has been repeatedly vilified, Bancroft’s Test career was derailed, and the scandal still hangs heavily over Smith.
“In an ideal world, I don’t want to do this,” Khawaja said to the Herald.
“I don’t want to be the one who comes out and talks about the truth. The issue is that I genuinely thought after eight years the truth would have been out by now.
Smith’s last leadership tenure ended in tears after the infamous ‘Sandpapergate’ scandal in 2018. Getty
“Maybe I thought Davey would have exposed it, or someone else would have talked about it more. I just didn’t think it was going to come down to this. But the longer it’s gone on for, and right from the very start, I’ve been on the train of collectively taking it.
“Even in the change rooms when I was talking to them after the game. I said, ‘Take this as a team’. We did this as a team. We knew what was going on, and we have to take it as a team, and so I was always of that stance.
“Obviously, it didn’t work that way, and those three guys got crucified.”
Khawaja contextualises the scandal by noting that dubious “ball management” was a widespread practice in global cricket at the time.
Australia was simply trying to keep up, driven by a toxic, win-at-all-costs mentality pushed by coaching staff and CA following a string of losses.
“We were trying to keep up with them (South Africa). They were so good, and I discuss in a little bit of detail about what I’d heard from one of their players and what they were doing,” Khawaja explained.
Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja. Getty Images
“And you know what? We were just keeping up with the world game, and it was never sandpaper before that South African series. There was always other ways that you looked after a ball to get reverse swing.
“Every Australian team I had been in did something like using lollies for saliva to polish the shiny side, or intentionally throwing the ball into the wicket on purpose to work on the rough side, and neither of them are allowed.”
Despite sitting right next to Bancroft during the Newlands Test and vocalising his stance on collective blame, Khawaja was never interviewed during CA’s official investigation.
“I thoroughly feel that I didn’t get interviewed because of that, because they knew that I wanted to take it as a team, because they knew I was ready to tell the truth if I was interviewed,” he revealed.
“And I was waiting for my phone to ring. It just never rang, and then the penalties were given, and I couldn’t believe it.”
Before the book’s release, Khawaja informed current captain Pat Cummins and CA chief executive Todd Greenberg of what he had written.
“If you read my story, if you read what I’m saying, I have numerous times said it’s us, the team. This is the team. It’s not Steve, Davey and Bangers. It’s all of us,” he said.
“At the end of the day, I still think it’s the right thing to do for particularly those three guys. And I think most of the guys in the team, at some level, will be relieved that we can finally move on.”
