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Legendary Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie has reacted to Usman Khawaja’s claim that the entire team, including players and support staff, knew about the plan to use sandpaper to change the condition of the ball during the Cape Town Test against South Africa in 2018.
The 2018 Sandpapergate scandal has once again returned to the headlines after Khawaja made some fresh revelations about the ball-tampering incident during Australia's tour of South Africa.
Jason Gillespie found Khawaja's revelations particularly interesting, especially his claim that he had asked the entire team to take collective responsibility during a dressing-room meeting after the incident. Read Also: Michael Vaughan reacts to Usman Khawaja's 'all Australians knew about ball-tampering' claim.
Jason Gillespie reacts to Usman Khawaja's dressing-room meeting claim
Usman Khawaja has recently claimed that the Cape Town Test was not the first time Australia had used sandpaper to alter the ball. He said that the batters, bowlers, and support staff were all aware of what was happening during the South Africa tour. He even suggested the team share the blame.
Khawaja’s claims have raised fresh questions because, until now, Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft were considered the main culprits for the Sandpapergate scandal. Smith and Warner were handed 12-month bans, while Bancroft received a nine-month suspension.
Reacting to Khawaja’s claims, Jason Gillespie called the ball-tampering revelations surprising. The former Pakistan coach found it interesting that Khawaja had reportedly asked the entire squad to accept responsibility and claimed that everyone was present in the room.
Jason Gillespie said in a video posted by ABC Sports on X: “Bit of a bombshell this morning, waking up and reading about it, is that Usman claims that he went and addressed the whole team and said, 'We need to take collective responsibility for this.' "And he said everyone was in that room. So, I found that really fascinating.”
Jason Gillespie questions umpires' findings in Sandpapergate
He was also asked whether the Australian bowlers could have noticed anything unusual about the ball during the Cape Town Test. The former Australian fast bowler wondered how the umpires did not find any visible signs of tampering when they checked the ball at the time.
The legendary cricketer added that the bowlers had also said they did not notice clear evidence of the ball being changed. However, the incident was caught on camera, with Bancroft seen using sandpaper on the ball.
Gillespie said, “Well, this was where, what was interesting, the umpires at the time studied the ball. They looked at it, and they said they couldn't see any evidence of ball tampering. That's what I find fascinating. And that's what the bowlers have come out and said.”
Read Also: "Books are there to sell": Darren Lehmann takes dig at Usman Khawaja over Sandpapergate claims.
Gillespie warns Sandpapergate story is not over after Khawaja's explosive revelations
He also believes that there are still many unanswered questions surrounding the entire episode and feels Khawaja's fresh revelations have reopened the Sandpapergate scandal, with the controversy unlikely to disappear anytime soon.
Gillespie signed off by saying, “Well, the actual umpires have looked at the ball and said, Well, there's no evidence that we can see of ball tampering, but it was obviously caught on camera, wasn't it? So yeah, I find it fascinating. Look, there's so much more to unpack here because this isn't going away anytime soon.”
"Usman claims that he went and addressed the whole team and said, 'We need to take collective responsibility for this.' He said everyone was in that room."🏏 Jason Gillespie reacted to the bombshell news this morning, 8 years after Sandpapergate. Listen: https://t.co/otf8ygMtoX https://t.co/7rEsGKsd0z
— ABC SPORT (@abcsport) November 7, 2026
