The controversy surrounding Australia’s 2018 Sandpapergate scandal has taken another turn, with former captain Michael Clarke joining the growing chorus demanding that Cricket Australia (CA) reopen its investigation following Usman Khawaja’s explosive revelations.Clarke believes Australian cricket fans have still not received the complete truth about the ball-tampering episode and said the issue would continue to haunt the game until the investigation was revisited. His comments come amid contrasting accounts from former teammates, with David Warner backing Khawaja’s version, Mitchell Starc standing by the bowlers’ earlier statement and CA chief executive Todd Greenberg ruling out another probe.“We haven’t moved on. Australian fans have not moved on. They can’t trust what’s real. They don’t know the truth – until this (investigation) gets reopened and the truth comes out,” Clarke said on 2DayFM’s Breakfast with Nath & Emma.
Clarke wants the complete truth to emerge
Khawaja reignited the debate through his forthcoming autobiography, Sabr, claiming that the entire Australian Test dressing room, including players and support staff, knew about the use of sandpaper during the 2018 tour of South Africa.The controversy first erupted during the third Test at Cape Town, where Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera attempting to alter the condition of the ball. Smith, Warner and Bancroft subsequently received suspensions, with the latter two also facing additional sanctions.Clarke said the opportunity to establish the complete truth had been missed in 2018 and again when Bancroft made comments about the involvement of other players in a 2021 interview with The Guardian.“We had the chance in 2018. The truth didn’t come out. We had the chance in 2021 when (Cameron Bancroft) made those comments (to The Guardian). The truth didn’t come out. Now we’ve got this opportunity. I would just like to see whatever the truth is for it all to come out, allow people to finally tell the truth, and move on,” he said.Clarke also raised questions about whether the alleged ball-tampering had started before the Cape Town Test, as claimed by Khawaja.“For me, right now, there’s more questions than answers. I want to know, firstly, did everyone know? Because certain players have come out and said they didn’t. I want to know: did they know or not? That’s important information so we can get the truth. And did it happen in the game before? That’s also what I’m hearing, that (it didn’t just happen) in Cape Town,” Clarke added.
Starc stands by bowlers as Warner backs Khawaja
The latest developments have exposed sharply contrasting positions among members of the Australian side involved in the scandal.Warner, who received a 12-month ban for his role in the episode, publicly backed Khawaja, describing his account as “100% accurate”. He also criticised CA’s original investigation as “botched” and “rushed”.Starc, meanwhile, reiterated that his recollection had not changed from the position outlined in the joint statement issued by Australia’s four frontline bowlers in 2021.“I haven’t really paid much attention to be fair, obviously there’s differing opinions of eight years ago,” Starc told reporters in Sydney.“We were heavily drilled through the process at the time, and since and I guess I won’t speak on behalf of the bowlers, but where I stand, my opinion hasn’t changed. My recollection hasn’t changed from what we said in 2021.”The statement had been issued by Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon after Bancroft’s 2021 interview raised questions about how much the bowling group knew. The quartet denied knowing that a foreign substance had been taken onto the field to alter the ball.Starc also said Khawaja’s claim that sandpaper had been used during the second Test in Gqeberha was news to him.“I’ll leave said authors to explain,” he said.
Cricket Australia refuses to reopen investigation
Despite the renewed calls for answers, Greenberg has ruled out reopening the investigation, saying CA remains satisfied with the original findings.“There are specific details in his book that contradict the versions that have been provided by others,” Greenberg said.“But we have said we’re comfortable with the outcome of the investigation based on the information we’ve received.”He added: “That includes what we’ve seen from Usman, and our position hasn’t changed on that.”Meanwhile, Khawaja responded on social media to suggestions that his revelations were intended to boost sales of his autobiography.“I’m very fortunate, I don’t need the money,” he said.With Clarke now joining Warner in questioning the original investigation, and Starc maintaining the bowlers’ position, the Sandpapergate controversy continues to divide Australian cricket nearly eight years after the incident.