David Warner starts fresh Sandpapergate row after Graeme Hick dismisses Khawaja’s dressing room claims

Usman Khawaja and David Warner. (Getty Images) The infamous ball-tampering scandal of 2018 has returned to the limelight following fresh revelations by Usman Khawaja, sparking a war of words between former Australian batting coach Graeme Hick and David Warner. While Hick strongly rejected Khawaja’s claim that the entire Australian team knew about the use of sandpaper, Warner hit back at the former coach, questioning his appointment and bringing Michael Di Venuto into the debate.

What did Graeme Hick say about Khawaja’s claims?

Hick, who was part of Australia’s coaching team during the 2018 tour of South Africa, described Khawaja’s allegations as “absolutely false”. He claimed he was unaware of any discussions about the use of sandpaper and only learned of the incident after seeing the footage on a big screen in Cape Town.Khawaja claimed that the entire dressing room was aware of the ball-tampering, suggesting that responsibility for the incident went beyond the three players who were eventually punished.Warner responded by taking aim at Hick’s appointment as Australia’s batting coach and bringing former assistant coach Michael Di Venuto into the discussion.Responding to X’s post in the interview, Warner wrote: “Let’s get the facts straight. Graeme Hick was only appointed because Cricket Australia wasn’t willing to pay Michael Di Venuto what he deserved. As players we held Michael in such high regard that we even offered to contribute our own salaries to keep him. These discussions took place during the New Zealand tour. That in itself speaks volumes for how much we involved him and how much we held him. Graeme spoke!”

Why has the 2018 Sandpapergate controversy resurfaced?

The latest exchange follows the release of Khawaja’s memoir, Sabr, in which the Australian batsman revisited the events of the 2018 tour of South Africa. His account has reopened questions about how much the dressing room knew about the ball-tampering incident and whether the original investigation captured the full extent of what happened.The controversy dates back to the third Test between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town in March 2018. Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera attempting to change the condition of the ball with a piece of sandpaper. The incident became known as Sandpapergate and led to heavy fines against the players involved.Warner and then Australia captain Steve Smith received one-year bans from Cricket Australia, while Bancroft received a nine-month ban. The episode also led to widespread criticism of Australian cricket and raised questions about the team’s culture and leadership.