Former Australia coach Darren Lehmann has pushed back against Usman Khawaja’s explosive claims that the entire Australian team knew about the ball-tampering plan during the infamous 2018 South Africa Test series. Lehmann, who was in charge when the scandal erupted, said he did not believe every player and member of the support staff was aware of the use of sandpaper.
The controversy has resurfaced ahead of the release of Khawaja’s autobiography, Sabr, in which the former Australian opener alleges that knowledge of the ball-tampering plan extended well beyond the three players who were punished.
The renewed debate has reopened questions about accountability, the original investigation and whether the full circumstances surrounding one of Australian cricket’s biggest scandals were ever revealed.
Lehmann Disputes Khawaja’s Allegations
Speaking on ABC Sport’s Grandstand programme, Lehmann said he could not agree with the suggestion that everyone in the Australian touring party knew about the plan to alter the ball’s condition.
“I don't think everyone would have known,” Lehmann said, explaining that awareness of general ball-tampering practices was different from knowing that sandpaper was being used.
The former coach acknowledged that ball-tampering had been a recurring issue in cricket for decades, but stressed that this did not mean every player necessarily knew about a specific plan.
Lehmann also said he could speak only about what he personally knew and could not confirm the extent of other players’ involvement.
He was coaching Australia during the 2018 tour of South Africa, when the incident in Cape Town triggered widespread criticism and led to major disciplinary action. Lehmann subsequently stepped down from his position following the series.
What Usman Khawaja Revealed About Sandpapergate
Khawaja has claimed that the ball-tampering episode was not an isolated act involving only Cameron Bancroft, Steve Smith and David Warner.
In interviews ahead of his autobiography’s release, he said the entire Australian touring party knew what was happening.
“It was all of us. Not the batters, not the bowlers, not the staff. All of us,” Khawaja said.
He also alleged that discussions about using sandpaper to alter the ball’s condition began during the second Test in Port Elizabeth, now known as Gqeberha, before the incident became public in Cape Town.
According to Khawaja, Bancroft volunteered to use the sandpaper during the earlier Test. He further claimed that Smith walked away from discussions about ball-tampering because he did not want to know the details.
Khawaja said he had advocated collective responsibility after the controversy erupted, believing that the team should acknowledge its wider role rather than allowing three players to bear the consequences alone.
He added that he had not been interviewed during Cricket Australia’s investigation, despite being part of the touring squad.
Why Only Three Players Were Punished
The 2018 scandal became public during the third Test against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town, when television cameras captured Bancroft handling a piece of sandpaper and attempting to conceal it.
An investigation by Cricket Australia concluded that Bancroft, then captain Smith and vice-captain Warner had prior knowledge of the plan.
Smith and Warner received 12-month suspensions, while Bancroft was banned for nine months. Smith and Warner also lost their leadership positions at the time.
The punishment prompted intense criticism and raised questions about the culture within Australian cricket. Lehmann resigned after the fourth Test, although he was not among the three players sanctioned for their roles in the ball-tampering scheme.
Khawaja’s latest allegations challenge the scope of the original findings, but they have not independently established that every player or staff member knew about the plan.
Cricket Australia Stands by Its Investigation
Cricket Australia has maintained that its original integrity investigation was properly conducted and that the findings remain valid.
Responding to Khawaja’s latest claims, the governing body said it remained comfortable with the conclusions reached in 2018. It also noted that relevant information presented to the organisation over the years had been considered.
The controversy has also renewed attention on the Australian bowlers’ previous denials of knowledge. In 2021, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon said they did not know a foreign substance had been taken onto the field to alter the ball until the incident appeared on the stadium screen.
Lehmann said he could not confirm Khawaja’s account of discussions inside the dressing room, noting that he was occupied with meetings involving Cricket Australia during parts of the aftermath.
Sandpaper Scandal Returns to the Spotlight
The dispute has brought renewed scrutiny to an episode that damaged Australia’s cricketing reputation and led to lengthy suspensions for three senior players.
Khawaja has said he hopes his account will help explain what happened and allow those involved to move forward. Lehmann, meanwhile, has questioned whether the entire squad could have known about the specific plan.
With Cricket Australia standing by its original findings, the competing accounts have once again placed the question of collective responsibility at the centre of the Sandpapergate debate.
