Sports · Cricket · 2 hrs ago
Greg Chappell urges Australian cricket to move on from Sandpapergate
Greg Chappell has urged Australian cricket figures to stop their public feud over the 2018 ball-tampering scandal known as Sandpapergate.
Usman Khawaja recently claimed the entire Australian Test team in Cape Town knew about the plan to use sandpaper on the ball.
Pat Cummins denied having prior knowledge, calling Khawaja’s claims “complete nonsense” and suggesting they could be defamatory.
David Warner backed Khawaja’s account and accused Cummins of unfairly blaming him.
The scandal brought bans and leadership losses: Cameron Bancroft was suspended for nine months, while Steve Smith and Warner were suspended for a year and removed from leadership roles.
Chappell said the players should accept that people make mistakes and focus on cricket rather than continue arguing.
He hopes the team can move on before the summer of cricket, though the public disagreement remains unresolved.
Greg Chappell urged Australian cricket to move on from the renewed dispute over the 2018 Cape Town ball-tampering scandal.
The dispute flared after Usman Khawaja said the entire Australian Test team knew about the plan to tamper with the ball.
Test captain Pat Cummins denied having prior knowledge, while David Warner backed Khawaja and criticised Cummins.
Former coach Justin Langer supported Cummins but said the controversy was hurting players, fans and Australian cricket.
Chappell said the players should own past mistakes and focus on the season ahead.
- Who
- Greg Chappell urged Australian cricket to move on. The dispute involves Usman Khawaja, Pat Cummins, David Warner and others.
- What
- Australian cricket figures are disputing what players knew about the 2018 ball-tampering plan and whether the controversy should be put behind them.
- When
- The dispute was renewed in the week before November 13, 2026. The scandal took place in March 2018.
- Where
- The ball-tampering incident took place in Cape Town, South Africa. Cummins addressed the renewed controversy at a press conference in Sydney.
- Why
- Khawaja’s claims about who knew of the plan brought the scandal back into focus, prompting denials and criticism.
Usman Khawaja and David Warner
Pat Cummins
Knowledge of the plan
Usman Khawaja and David Warner
Khawaja said the entire Test team that played in Cape Town knew about the plan; Warner said he stood by Khawaja’s claims.
Pat Cummins
Cummins denied having prior knowledge of the plan and called the claims “complete and utter nonsense.
How to handle the dispute
Usman Khawaja and David Warner
Warner said he would not rest until the full truth came out and accused Cummins of throwing Khawaja under the bus.
Pat Cummins
Cummins rejected the claims publicly; Chappell and Langer urged Australian cricket to move on.
The ball-tampering scandal took place during the third Test between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town.
Khawaja said the entire Test team that played in Cape Town knew about the plan to tamper with the ball.
White-ball captain Mitchell Marsh said he had moved on and did not plan to tell his own account at that time.
Cummins held a press conference in Sydney and denied having prior knowledge of the plan.
Warner said he stood by Khawaja’s claims and criticised Cummins.
- Incident
- Ball tampering during the third Test between Australia and South Africa
- Place
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Date of incident
- March 2018
- Cameron Bancroft ban
- Nine months
- Steve Smith and David Warner suspensions
- One year each
- Cummins press conference
- 69 minutes according to India Today; 70 minutes according to ABC Australia
3 sources
What people are saying
We don't want to see Australian cricket eating itself and having a little spat within the family
complete and utter nonsense
There's too many people being hurt in Australian cricket, and that includes the Australian public.
I was very disappointed with Cummins