Mitchell Starc has asserted that he was unaware of any sandpaper being used for ball-tampering during the 2018 Test series in South Africa, pushing back against claims made by his former teammate Usman Khawaja.

Starc, speaking publicly for the first time since Khawaja's allegations resurfaced with the release of his memoir, maintained that he did not know about the plan prior to Cameron Bancroft being caught with sandpaper during the Cape Town Test. He also stated he was unaware it had been used in the preceding match at St George's Park, where Khawaja claims the plot was conceived.

"We weren't aware anything was taken onto the field to be tampered with," Starc told reporters on Tuesday. "We saw (the sandpaper) on the big screen in Cape Town."

Starc's comments align with a statement released by Australia's bowlers in 2021, which declared their ignorance of the ball-tampering plot. He indicated he has not read Khawaja's book and likely will not, leaving any further elaboration to Khawaja himself.

When asked about the divergence in their accounts, Starc replied, "That's a question for him. I'll stick to what I said five years ago, what I said at the time, eight years ago. Clearly, there are different versions from different people, and I'll leave it where I left it back then."

Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive Todd Greenberg has ruled out reopening the investigation into the matter, as CA's original inquiry concluded that only then-captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner, and Bancroft were aware of the plan. Warner has since publicly supported Khawaja's claims, calling CA's investigation "rushed and botched."

Starc confirmed he had not spoken to Khawaja in recent days, following the publication of excerpts from his autobiography. Asked about the prospect of future communication, Starc stated, "It's up to him."

Khawaja has vehemently denied using the ball-tampering scandal to boost sales of his memoir, titled "Sabr." He stated on Instagram that he did not negotiate any specific content with his publisher, Penguin, regarding the incident and that his manuscript was not revealed to them until two years after signing in 2023, surprising both the publisher and his management.

Starc acknowledged the distraction the controversy presents as the Australian cricket summer begins, noting that other players like Mitch Marsh, Marnus Labuschagne, and Scott Boland have also faced questions. "It's definitely disappointing that that's what we're talking about heading into what's already kicked off as a really exciting summer," Starc said. He added that the team has changed significantly since 2018 and is focused on future challenges.