{
  "id": 19553942,
  "title": "Batting coach calls Khawaja claims 'absolutely false'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/11/batting-coach-calls-khawaja-claims-absolutely-false",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-11T21:19:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-12/australia-batting-coach-on-usman-khawaja-sandpaper-story/107376024"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Australian Test cricket opener Usman Khawaja, who played in the 2018 series against South Africa, has written a book revealing that he and his teammates knew about ball tampering involving sandpaper. Former Australia batting coach Graeme Hick has dismissed Khawaja's claims as \"absolutely false.\" Hick, along with paceman Mitchell Starc and former head coach Darren Lehmann, responded to the allegations in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald. Khawaja maintains that the ball tampering was a team-wide conspiracy and not just the responsibility of Warner, Steve Smith, and Cameron Bancroft. Warner, who backed Khawaja's claims in the past, has responded to Hick's denial by questioning Australia's decision to appoint former head coach Michael Di Venuto, stating that Hick was only brought on board due to Di Venuto's high salary demands.",
  "summary": "Graeme Hick, Australia's batting coach at the time of the 2018 tour of South Africa, weighs in on the recent revelations about Sandpaper-gate, labelling Usman Khawaja's claims \"absolutely false\".",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}