Sandpaper Gate: The Ball-Tampering Video was Edited - Peter Handscomb

Australian middle-order batsman, Peter Handscomb has shrugged off any involvement in the infamous ball-tampering scandal which wrecked the Cape Town Test between Australia and South Africa.

Handscomb claimed the video shown across the globe was an edited one. He added the video footage was altered in such a way that it appeared Darren Lehmann’s instructions to Handscomb made him enter the field and speak to Cameron Bancroft.

However, in the video, Bancroft was seen hiding the sandpaper object inside his underpants following the discussion with Peter Handscomb.

Handscomb out in public for the first time 

It is for the first time Handscomb has come out in public regarding the whole incident. He claimed there were two shots used in the video footage were with a time gap of 20 minutes.

“I love that footage because it’s actually amazing how much the media edited it. So, it shows me on the walkie-talkie then running out and talking to Cam (Bancroft). What happened, I am on the walkie-talkie. Twenty minutes, 25 minutes later, a player comes off because they need to go to the bathroom. I am next to it, so that’s why I come on.”

As per the video, Bancroft putting the sandpaper inside his pants came only after his discussion with Handscomb. The latter was seen sharing a light moment on the field. He said the particular incident happened quite earlier when the umpires had questioned him on tampering with the ball after being caught in the big screen.

“I get put into a catching position next to Cam because we are both short catches… we are front of the wicket catchers or in slips together,” he added. “That’s why I was there, literally just trying to have a joke with him. There was nothing else. All this build-up about me trying to do something there, it wasn’t there.”

However, Peter confirmed during the interview he was indeed asked by Lehmann over the walkie-talkie, as what actually was going on in the middle.

“I haven’t been dragged into it [the scandal] that much. If I was, I am basically off a lot of social media now anyway. I didn’t read it, and I didn’t hear it.”

Smith and Warner was handed one-year ban 

Captain Steven Smith and David Warner who were the masterminds of the plan got a one-year ban while Bancroft was given a nine-month ban.

Handscomb has been a regular feature in the Australian side, especially in Tests.

“It was a bit of a shame to come back into the Test side under those circumstances – I had really wanted to get back in through sheer work and put numbers on the board and make sure I was doing all the right things,” he said. “Sometimes it’s right place, right time, and I have to try and take that opportunity.”

Meanwhile, Handscomb made a comeback after the suspensions to three top players. However, he couldn’t make his opportunity count. In the past also, he was not at his best during his last visit to India. Handscomb managed to score just 198 runs and struggled against the spin.

Peter Handscomb believes an impressive performance from the A squad will help him cement his place in the side. Playing well on subcontinental wickets is always a dream from any visiting batsmen.

“It [national selection] seems to be a bit open slather – you are going into this [A tour], if you make runs you are a massive chance and, if you don’t, you haven’t taken that opportunity they are trying to give you. I feel like I am a really good player of spin and I hope I will go over there and make runs. I have done that before on the subcontinent, so I hope I can do that again,” Handscomb signed off.