Former England international Chris Broad has directed criticism at Darren Lehmann, the former Australian head coach, regarding the 2018 ball-tampering controversy. According to ThePrint, Broad believes Lehmann should have faced greater consequences for the incident that occurred during the team’s tour of South Africa. Broad questioned how the coach could have remained oblivious to the tactics employed by his players, suggesting that Lehmann likely understood the situation better than he publicly admitted.
These remarks followed new disclosures by Australian batter Usman Khawaja in his autobiography, Sabr. Khawaja asserted that the full squad, including support personnel, understood the use of sandpaper to modify the cricket ball. He argued that collective responsibility was ignored, leaving three specific players to bear the burden of the penalty. Khawaja also noted that several individuals with potential insight were skipped during the official Cricket Australia inquiry.
ThePrint reported that the original dispute began in Cape Town in 2018 when Cameron Bancroft was discovered using sandpaper. Steve Smith and David Warner, the leadership figures at the time, received one-year suspensions, while Bancroft was sidelined for nine months. Khawaja’s book further claims that the team utilized sandpaper in Gqeberha earlier in the series and manipulated the ball’s seam during the 2017-18 Ashes to enhance reverse swing.
Sportstar highlighted that Khawaja’s central argument is that the entire group was complicit, a view Broad now supports. Broad also referenced a 2013 incident where Lehmann criticized Stuart Broad, noting the irony of the former coach denying knowledge of field-level tactics. Warner added his voice to the debate, posting on X that he strongly agreed with Khawaja’s perspective, a notable endorsement given his own role in the original suspension.
The debate continues as former players reassess the legacy of the 2018 tour. Broad’s comments suggest that the coaching staff’s role in the scandal was underplayed, while Khawaja’s writings provide a detailed account of the internal team dynamics that led to the infamous Cape Town moment.