Sandpapergate: What happened in 2018 Australian cricket ball-tampering scandal, and why is it back in the spotlight?

Just days after former Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja’s autobiography ‘Sabr: Finding My Way in Cricket and Life’ hit the shelves, it has been causing an uproar in the cricket world. Khawaja’s account has brought the infamous 2018 Sandpapergate scandal back into focus, raising fresh questions about the events that unfolded during the Test series against South Africa. One of cricket’s most controversial moments is seeing a renewed debate after Khawaja’s revelations surfaced, over who knew about the plan, how far the knowledge extended within the Australian dressing room and whether those held accountable were the only ones involved.

Sandpapergate was a ball–tampering scandal during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town on March 24, 2018. Three prominent Australian cricketers were held accountable, namely Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. The scandal involved altering the cricket ball using a piece of sandpaper in order to gain an unfair advantage against the opposing team, South Africa. The incident unfolded in full view of television cameras, as an obliviously conspicuous Bancroft was seen rubbing a small yellow object against the cricket ball. Upon realising he was spotted, he attempted to conceal the object inside his trousers, even as on–field umpires approached and questioned him. The umpires then inspected the ball and allowed play to continue, finding insufficient grounds to change it. Repeated television visuals of the same raised suspicions and invited so much criticism that, at the end of the day, as Bancroft and the then captain Steve Smith addressed the media, Smith admitted that the team's leadership group had discussed the plan during the lunch break, accepting responsibility for his involvement, although he maintained that the coaching staff had not been informed.

But how does sandpaper and a cricket ball change games to such great extents?

In cricket, bowlers primarily employ two types of swings – conventional swing and reverse swing. In conventional swing bowling, the condition of the ball, its seam and the airflow around it help the ball move sideways through the air. Reverse swing, on the other hand, generally occurs with an older ball, wherein one side is kept relatively smooth while the other becomes rough. Bowlers typically use this difference to make the ball move sharply in the air, often at high speeds.

Under cricket laws, players can maintain the ball through permitted methods, but deliberately using an artificial object to alter its condition, as done by the Australian players, is prohibited. The Aussies did so to generate a reverse swing and give their bowlers an advantage.

In the scandal, vice-captain David Warner was identified as the principal architect of the ball-tampering plan. He instructed Bancroft to carry out the plan. Smith was cognizant of the proposed plan but failed to prevent it, accepting his leadership failure and stepping down as captain. Finally, opening batsman Bancroft was the player who physically used the sandpaper on the ball.

Following the scandal, Cricket Australia announced sanctions against all three players. Smith received a 12-month ban along with a one–Test suspension and a fine of 100 per cent of his match fee. Warner was permanently ruled ineligible for a leadership position in the Australian national team, and Bancroft was barred from a leadership position for at least 12 months after completing his suspension. All three were required to undertake 100 hours of voluntary service in community cricket, with separate sanctions from the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The fallout was not restricted to the three players; head coach Darren Lehmann announced his resignation after the South Africa series, although he was cleared of involvement in the ball - tampering plan. Australia suffered a significant reputational setback, with the episode prompting questions about the team's competitive culture and conduct. Tim Paine took over as Australia's Test captain.

The controversy is back in the limelight, following the release of former Australian batter Usman Khawaja’s autobiography, Sabr, which offers a new account of what happened inside the Australian Cricket dressing room. Khawaja, who was a part of Australia's 2018 South Africa tour, brings three major issues back into discussion. First, he alleges that the ball–tampering episode was not an isolated decision taken by three players; the team had discussed the use of sandpaper openly in the dressing room, with players and members of the support staff being well aware of what was happening. He further states that the practice of using sandpaper on the ball had allegedly begun during the second Test against South Africa at Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha), before the infamous Cape Town incident. One particular line from his book stands out in this regard as he says, "Of course I bloody knew what was happening with the sandpaper."

Second, Khawaja alleges that a member of Australia's coaching staff had encouraged this move. He recalls the instruction to have been given before the first Test in Durban – “I don't care what you have to do or how, but we need to get it (the ball) moving in the air." He further claims that during the Cape Town Test, a coach approached Bancroft and encouraged him to do more of what he had been doing because the wet conditions were affecting the ball's movement.

And third, the question of collective responsibility. Khawaja argues that the three players who received bans effectively bore the consequences of an incident that involved a wider team environment. He says he believed the Australian team should have accepted collective responsibility rather than allowing three individuals to shoulder the entire fallout, dedicating the chapter to Smith, Warner and Bancroft because he had seen the impact the scandal had on them.

However, Khawaja’s accounts have not gone unchallenged. Pat Cummins, Australia's current Test captain, rejected the suggestion that the entire team knew about the sandpaper plan, questioning that if Khawaja knew about the plan, why had he not stopped it. Warner, on the other hand, supported Khawaja’s right to tell his version of events and criticised the response to his revelations.

Eight years on, Sandpapergate remains a defining controversy in Australian cricket. Despite new accounts, Cricket Australia’s Chief Executive Todd Greenberg said the organisation would not reopen its investigation, pointing out that some of Khawaja's claims contradicted accounts provided by other members of the 2018 team.