Usman Khawaja has asserted that the entire Australian cricket team was aware of the plan to use sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball during the 2018 Test series against South Africa. The incident, which led to a significant ball-tampering scandal, has continued to cast a shadow over the sport.
Khawaja's claims, reported by BBC News, suggest a collective knowledge within the squad regarding the illicit tactic. This directly challenges previous narratives that often placed the responsibility on a select few.
The controversy originally erupted during the third Test in Cape Town in March 2018. Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera using a piece of sandpaper to scuff the ball's surface. Following an investigation, Bancroft, along with captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner, received lengthy bans from Cricket Australia and the International Cricket Council. Smith and Warner were suspended for 12 months from all international and domestic cricket, while Bancroft received a nine-month ban.