Sandpaper Scandal in Cricket Returns

The Sandpaper Scandal, also known as Sandpapergate, was one of the biggest cheating controversies in international cricket. It involved the Australian cricket team during its 2018 tour of South Africa.

What happened?

On 24 March 2018, during the third Test between Australia and South Africa at Cape Town, Australian batsman Cameron Bancroft was caught on television trying to alter the condition of the cricket ball using a piece of sandpaper.

Why?

• Roughening one side of the ball can help bowlers generate reverse swing.
• Reverse swing makes the ball move unpredictably in the air.
• Deliberately altering the ball using a foreign object is illegal under cricket’s rules.

2. Who was involved?

Three Australian players faced disciplinary action:

Smith and Warner were also removed from their leadership positions.

 Why is it back in the news in November 2026?

A fresh controversy has erupted following revelations by Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja in his autobiography, Sabr.

Khawaja has claimed that knowledge of the ball-tampering scheme extended beyond the three players who were punished.

He suggested that the wider Australian dressing room knew about it and questioned whether the original investigation revealed the entire truth.

David Warner has also publicly supported Khawaja’s account.

These revelations have reopened questions about who knew what and whether three players were made to shoulder responsibility for a much wider team controversy. ABC News

 Why was it such a big scandal?

Australia has traditionally presented itself as one of cricket’s most competitive and disciplined teams.

The incident damaged the team’s reputation internationally and raised serious questions about sportsmanship, leadership and accountability.

In simple words: Australian cricketers were caught attempting to cheat by using sandpaper to change the condition of the cricket ball. Eight years later, fresh allegations have reopened the controversy.