Former captain Michael Clarke urges reopening of 2018 sandpaper scandal investigation
Michael Clarke said Australian fans cannot trust the current narrative on the 2018 ball-tampering scandal and called for Cricket Australia to review the case, while the board maintains there is no reason to reopen it.
Former Australian captain Michael Clarke told 2DayFM that fans "can't trust what's real" about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal and urged Cricket Australia to restart the investigation. Clarke said the truth has not yet emerged and that reopening the inquiry would allow the facts to be clarified and the public to move on.
Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg, who assumed the role in March 2025, said the board sees "no compelling reason" to revisit the case, adding that it remains comfortable with the original investigation’s outcome based on the information received.
Clarke referenced former teammate Usman Khawaja’s claims that the entire team was aware of the sandpaper use, and he questioned whether current Test captain Pat Cummins had been asked about the allegations. He said, "For me, right now, there's more questions than answers. I want to know, firstly, did everyone know? Because certain players have come out and said they didn't."
Former bowler Mitchell Starc said he was disappointed by Khawaja’s allegations and maintained that the bowlers were unaware of any foreign substance being taken onto the field. Starc added that he had not read Khawaza’s book and did not plan to do so.
Former vice-captain David Warner, who served a one-year ban after the incident, described Khawaja’s recollections as "100% accurate". The Australian Cricketers' Association said the 2018 tour was a low point for Australian cricket and that the banned players had paid a disproportionate price, urging an end to ongoing vitriol.
Greenberg noted that differing accounts from the same period make a single, universally accepted outcome unlikely, and he emphasized the need to consider all versions without being swayed by headlines.