Former Australian batsman Usman Khawaja has argued that the 2018 ball-tampering incident involved the entire squad, not just the three players who were sanctioned. In his new autobiography, 'Sabr', Khawaja claims that awareness of the plan to alter the ball's condition was widespread across the Australian team, according to Khaleej Times. This assertion has renewed debate over the episode, which originally resulted in Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft being sent home in disgrace.
Khawaja appeared on the ABC's '7:30' programme on Tuesday, where he was questioned about whether captain Pat Cummins and other bowlers understood the sandpaper strategy. He replied that Cummins, Mitchell Starc and others were close friends, implying the issue extended beyond the three sanctioned players. Khaleej Times reported that Khawaja cancelled several promotional events for his book following the interview, as local media noted increasing pressure on Cricket Australia to revisit the case.
Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg stated on Tuesday that there was "no compelling reason" for another investigation, according to Khaleej Times. However, editorials in two major newspapers have urged the governing body to act, and The Australian newspaper asked Cummins to speak up as team captain. Simon Longstaff, who previously led a cultural review of Australian cricket after the scandal, wrote in the Australian Financial Review that the new claims had highlighted the darker aspects of the men's game.
Warner, who received a one-year ban and was identified as the main planner, supported Khawaja on Monday by calling his account fully accurate. Cummins, who discussed the book with Khawaja last month, said he was not worried about potential fallout. Khawaja told the Sydney Morning Herald that he was not forcing teammates to speak, nor asking Cricket Australia to re-investigate, but simply sharing his perspective. Starc also rejected the idea of prior awareness on Tuesday, according to Khaleej Times.