The Sandpaper Gate scandal has once again put Australian cricket under the spotlight, almost eight years after the shocking incident in South Africa. Former Australian opener Usman Khawaja has reopened old wounds with fresh claims about the ball-tampering controversy. His comments have sparked new discussions, especially after he suggested that the entire Australian team knew about the incident.
Usman Khawaja has now shared two videos on Instagram to explain his comments and respond to the media reaction.
The former batter believes Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft should not have taken all the blame. He insists that the team should have shared the responsibility, a point he has tried to make since 2018. In his first video, Khawaja also cleared up the headlines surrounding his autobiography.
“All right, time to clear up some facts’cause the media is taking this to the moon as expected, and I stayed quiet yesterday. But number one, if you read my article, you would’ve seen when I mentioned it was all of us, that’s implying that whether we like it or not, we are all responsible for what happened together. As a team, we need to take that collectively. That is all.
But now that everyone’s talking, am I gonna deny that everyone knew? No, I won’t deny that either. But I never speak on behalf of anyone else in my book, contrary to what the headlines and clickbait media would have you think. Have a read yourself.”
Khawaja’s explanation does not change the main point of his claims. He still believes the entire Australian team knew about the ball-tampering operation. However, he wants readers to understand that his autobiography shares his personal experiences and memories. He says he is not speaking on behalf of his former teammates.
Usman Khawaja Reveals How Steve Smith Stopped Him From Speaking in 2018
View this post on Instagram
One of the biggest revelations from Khawaja’s videos was his claim that he wanted to tell the media everything soon after the 2018 scandal. However, he says former Australian captain Steve Smith convinced him not to speak publicly.
Usman Khawaja was unhappy with the punishments handed to Smith, Warner and Bancroft. He felt that the three players were taking the blame for something that involved more people. He even approached Smith and suggested that the team should accept responsibility together.
“When the other guys got their penalties, I told Smudge that I was gonna come clean to the media. I couldn’t believe the penalty he got. But Smudge, being the man and the leader he was, talked me out of it. You can read it. It’s in my book. He wanted to take the blame. I argued with him, but he was having none of it. That’s the first time I tried to come out.”
This part of Khawaja’s account shows that his concerns did not begin with his autobiography. He claims he was unhappy with the punishments and the way the team handled the incident almost immediately after it happened.
He also revealed that he made another attempt to discuss the matter in 2021. This time, he called former Australia coach Justin Langer and spoke to him for hours. Khawaja also contacted Todd Greenberg, who was the chief executive of the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) at the time.
“So again in two thousand and twenty-one, it reared its ugly head, and I once again called JL on the phone for hours. Alf, Alf, come on, let’s take it together.
Let’s cop it as a team. We have another opportunity to finally take this, squash this once and for all. I was on the phone to Todd Greenberg, who was the ACA, CAO, CEO back that time too, who’s our player union.”
However, things did not go the way Khawaja wanted. In May 2021, four Australian bowlers from the Cape Town Test released a joint statement. Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon denied knowing about the plan to tamper with the ball before the incident became public.
Usman Khawaja suggested that their statement made it difficult for him to continue pushing for collective responsibility.
“But then that statement came out from the guys and pretty much what could I do then? I wasn’t gonna go to war with those guys back then. I just, I wasn’t comfortable. That’s the truth.”
ALSO READ: INR 40 Crore IPL Retention Demand: Could These 5 Superstars Force Franchises to Break the Bank?
Why Did Usman Khawaja Wait Eight Years to Reveal Everything?
Another big question surrounding Khawaja’s autobiography is why he remained silent for so many years if he believed the entire team shared responsibility.
His answer has a lot to do with his position in the Australian dressing room. He did not want to create another controversy involving his teammates while he was still playing for the country.
Khawaja admitted that speaking about the incident was difficult. He knew that anything he said could affect the entire team. Even after returning to international cricket in 2022, he did not feel comfortable discussing the matter publicly.
“So then you ask, why didn’t I say anything in those four years after that while I was still playing? You know what? I never wanted to be the first guy to chat about this.
Call me a chicken or whatever you want. I didn’t know how to do it because I was still on the team. How was I ever supposed to bring this up when I knew some of my teammates didn’t wanna talk about it? Because I knew everything I did or said always influenced and affected the team.”
Khawaja also brought up his 2023 comments about Palestinians to explain how seriously he took his responsibility towards the Australian team.
He recalled speaking to Pat Cummins after his comments became public. Khawaja said he even offered to stop if the captain felt his views could affect the team.
According to Khawaja, this showed that he always tried to keep his personal views separate from his responsibilities as an Australian cricketer.
“I was always conscious of putting my team first, but I’m not in that team anymore. What I say now isn’t a reflection of them anymore, and now my words don’t influence the team at all. I speak for myself.”
His retirement from international cricket in January 2026 has also played an important role in his decision to speak now. He believes he can finally share his personal account without worrying about how his words might affect his former teammates.
Usman Khawaja Rejects Claims That He Is Using the Scandal to Sell His Book
Khawaja has also faced questions about the timing of his revelations. His autobiography, Sabr: Finding My Way in Cricket and Life, is set to be released on November 10, 2026.
The Sandpaper Gate chapter has attracted huge attention just days before the book’s release. This has led to questions about whether Khawaja brought back the controversy to increase book sales.
However, he strongly rejected these claims.
Khawaja pointed out that he waited until Australia’s recent return to South Africa was over before sharing the details. He also revealed that he had spoken to current Australian captain Pat Cummins about the timing.
“But even so, I refused to publish any of this while the boys were still, still in South Africa. That’s why I called Pat. Why would someone who really wants to increase the sale of his books refuse the greatest marketing opportunity he had? Like, literally the greatest. Everyone would have been talking about my book over there, all over the world during that series.
But that was never my goal. I waited’til it was over.”
His explanation comes at a time when the old controversy has already started creating fresh discussions around Australian cricket.
Australia returned to South Africa for a Test series last month, eight years after the infamous 2018 tour. The memories of that incident were already difficult for the players involved. Khawaja’s latest revelations have now brought those memories back into the spotlight.
ALSO READ: Usman Khawaja Sandpaper Gate Revelation Leaves Australian Cricket Facing Uncomfortable Questions
Usman Khawaja Says Smith, Warner and Bancroft Were the Real Victims
View this post on Instagram
Perhaps the most emotional part of Khawaja’s videos was his defence of the three players who received punishments after the scandal.
During the third Test at Newlands in Cape Town in March 2018, television cameras caught Cameron Bancroft using a piece of sandpaper to change the condition of the ball. Steve Smith later admitted that senior players had discussed the plan, while David Warner was identified as a key figure behind it.
Cricket Australia later handed Smith and Warner 12-month bans. Bancroft received a nine-month suspension. Smith also lost the captaincy, while Warner was banned from holding leadership positions in Australian cricket.
Khawaja believes these three players faced public humiliation for an incident that, according to him, involved the entire team.
“The guys that are currently in the team right now and the other people that were there on the South African tour, including me, including me, we’re not the victims. These three guys took the blame for all of us, and they’re the victims. Yes, it was tough for everyone, including me.
I had sleepless nights too. I told Rachel and Justin Langer, I’m not sure if I can go back in the change rooms ever again. But those three are the ones that had to endure this for the last eight years quietly.”
Usman Khawaja also spoke about the emotional impact the incident had on Bancroft, Warner and Smith.
He claimed Bancroft recently told him how difficult it was to watch Australia’s return to South Africa and face memories of the scandal again.
Khawaja added that Warner had spent the last eight years dealing with the consequences alongside his family. Smith, meanwhile, no longer wanted to discuss the matter.
“I’m absolutely one hundred percent unapologetic for that,” Khawaja said in a video.
The former opener also revealed that he had made a promise to his childhood friend Warner. He said he would eventually tell the truth and allow Warner to share his own story.
“These three guys deserve justice, and I haven’t pointed fingers at anyone. I’m still searching for what I was searching all those years ago. For us, me included, to take the blame together as a team, so we can all move on from this once and for all. And you know what?
I would do it again in a heartbeat”
Darren Lehmann and Cricket Australia’s Response Adds Another Layer
However, Khawaja’s claims have not convinced everyone in Australian cricket.
Former Australia coach Darren Lehmann has questioned his suggestion that everyone in the touring party knew about the plan to tamper with the ball.
Lehmann said he did not believe everyone knew about the specific plan. He also questioned why Khawaja had waited eight years to speak about the matter. At the same time, he expressed sympathy for the people and families who have had to face these memories again.
Meanwhile, Cricket Australia has stood by the findings of its original investigation. The board identified Smith, Warner and Bancroft as the three players who knew about the plan beforehand. However, Cricket Australia has also said that it remains open to receiving any relevant new information.
This leaves Australian cricket with two very different accounts of one of its darkest moments. Khawaja wants the entire team to accept collective responsibility, while the original investigation and the bowlers’ public statements present a different picture.
Despite facing criticism, Khawaja has made his position clear. He believes Smith, Warner and Bancroft faced the biggest consequences and deserve justice. He also has no plans to apologise for finally sharing his side of the story.
The bigger question now is whether his autobiography will bring new answers to the Sandpaper Gate controversy or simply reopen a debate that Australian cricket has struggled to leave behind.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
Keep following Sportschilly for the latest updates.
