Australia cricket captain describes Khawaja's Sandpapergate claim as 'utter nonsense'

The Sandpapergate scandal, involving ball-tampering during the 2018 Test series against South Africa, has resurfaced following new revelations from cricketer Usman Khawaja. In his upcoming autobiography, Khawaja claims the entire team was aware of the ball-tampering attempts, not just the three players who faced punishment. This assertion sparked reactions from former Australian coach Darren Lehmann and ex-England captain Michael Vaughan.

Khawaja addressed the controversy on social media, stating he would not retract his claims despite the media's interpretation. He emphasized that the responsibility for the incident should be shared by the whole team. Khawaja also revealed that two teammates were opposed to the idea of collective responsibility, further fueling the controversy.

The latest revelations have reignited questions about the dark episode in Australian cricket history, with Khawaja maintaining that responsibility extended beyond the formally punished players.