‘I wasn’t in that dressing room’: Joe Root reacts to Usman Khawaja’s fresh Sandpapergate revelations

Joe Root and Usman Khawaja NEW DELHI: England Test captain Joe Root has chosen not to comment on fresh allegations surrounding Australia’s 2018 ball-tampering scandal, popularly known as ‘Sandpapergate’.Ahead of England’s three-match ODI series against Australia, Root said he doesn’t know what happened in the Australian dressing room and wants to focus on the games ahead.“I wasn’t in that (Australian) dressing room, I don’t know what happened. I don’t want to speculate. Right now I’m focused on this team and what lies ahead,” Root said. He added that England did not have clear information about the latest demands and wanted to focus on the ODI series.Asked if he had experienced similar practices in cricket, Root said: “I can only speak from my own experience and I don’t feel that way, no.”

Khawaja’s fresh claims reopen Sandpapergate

The controversy has returned to the limelight following revelations in former Australian batsman Usman Khawaja’s autobiography, Sabr.Khawaja claimed the ball-tampering was not limited to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, suggesting the wider Australian team, including support staff, were aware of the practice.He also claimed that Australia lifted the fourth seam of the ball during the 2017-18 Ashes series to help create reverse swing. Khawaja believes the three players should not be blamed and called for collective responsibility.The original scandal took place during the 2018 Test against South Africa in Cape Town. Smith and Warner received one-year bans, while Bancroft was suspended for nine months after being caught using sandpaper on the ball.

Handscomb also avoids fresh comments

Australian batsman Peter Handscomb, who was part of the squad during the Cape Town Test, also refused to discuss Khawaja’s claims.“Look, I appreciate you having to ask these questions. I’ve had a nice day today and it’s not really something I want to comment on right now. I’ll just let the powers of the people do their thing,” he said.Handscomb added that players must learn to move forward despite off-field controversies and off-field discussions.