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The infamous 2018 Sandpapergate scandal has once again put Australian cricket under the spotlight after the former opening batter Usman Khawaja made fresh revelations about the ball-tampering controversy that happened in South Africa.
Eight years after the controversy, Khawaja claimed that the entire Australian team, including batters, bowlers, and support staff, knew about the plan to use sandpaper to change the condition of the ball during a Test match against South Africa in Cape Town.
Khawaja also revealed that he had asked the entire team to accept collective responsibility after the incident, which suggested that there is still a lot more to come out about the controversy. His claims could have big consequences for Australian cricket.
Read Also: Jason Gillespie breaks silence on Usman Khawaja's claims, raises fresh questions over Sandpapergate scandal.
Cricket Australia could face pressure for fresh investigation after Usman Khawaja's revelations
The biggest possible consequence of Usman Khawaja's revelations could be fresh pressure on Cricket Australia to explain what really happened during Australia’s 2018 tour of South Africa.
Until now, Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft were considered the main players responsible for the ball-tampering incident. Smith and Warner received 12-month bans from international and domestic cricket, while Bancroft was suspended for nine months.
However, Khawaja's latest claims suggest that more people could have known about the plan. If further credible information or proof comes out, Cricket Australia could face questions about whether its original investigation covered every aspect of the ball-tempering incident.
Earlier, CA had stressed that they remain "comfortable with the findings of our integrity process."
Did Australian bowlers know about sandpaper? Pat Cummins & Co. face fresh scrutiny
Pat Cummins and several other members of the Australian setup could face questions about what they knew at the time, depending on their involvement and knowledge of the incident.
Actually, the current Australian captain, Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon had released a joint statement five years back and clearly said that they had no knowledge of sandpaper being taken onto the field during the 2018 scandal.
However, Usman Khawaja's latest claims have now put their statement under fresh scrutiny. His suggestion that the entire team knew about the plan raised questions about what the bowlers actually knew and whether Cricket Australia's original investigation revealed the full story.
However, Khawaja's revelations could reopen the ball tampering scandal investigation, but any disciplinary action would require fresh evidence that supports the former opener’s claims.
Read Also: Michael Vaughan reacts to Usman Khawaja's 'all Australians knew about ball-tampering' claim.
Australian cricket's reputation under fresh scrutiny as Sandpapergate back to haunt CA
The third major consequence could be another difficult phase for Australian cricket's reputation. The 2018 scandal had a huge impact on the team, with Smith, Warner, and Bancroft still facing criticism from fans around the world. Khawaja's revelations have now brought those painful memories back.
Apart from claiming that the entire team knew about the plan, Usman also revealed that Cricket Australia's integrity team never interviewed him during its investigation, even though he was sitting right next to Cameron Bancroft in the Cape Town dressing room.
His revelation has raised doubts about whether all the important people were questioned during the original investigation. Cricket Australia has not announced any plan to reopen the case but has said that anyone can share the information. Khawaja's claims also raised questions about why the team didn’t take collective responsibility in 2018.
