Cricket Australia Rules Out Reopening 2018 Ball-Tampering Investigation

Cricket Australia will not reopen its investigation into the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, even after a new book by batter Usman Khawaja raised questions about it. Ball-tampering means altering the ball illegally to help bowlers, and the 2018 case involved a plan to use sandpaper on the ball during a Test in South Africa.

Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft all received long bans after the board's original inquiry. Khawaja's book alleges that more than those three players knew about the sandpaper plan. He also says his calls for the team to take collective responsibility at the time were rebuffed.

Cricket Australia's chief executive, Todd Greenberg, told SEN radio there was not "any compelling reason" to revisit the investigation. He said Khawaja's book contains "specific details" that contradict versions given by others. Warner has taken a different view of the original process, describing it as "rushed and botched".

Khawaja signed his book deal in 2023. He has said that publisher Penguin Random House and his manager did not know, when the deal was signed, that he planned to cast new light on the events of 2018.

The board's decision closes the official review for now. The disagreement between Khawaja's account and the board's position is now on the public record, with each side making its case in its own words. The allegations in the book have not been tested through a new inquiry.

For casual fans, the story is less about the 2018 match itself and more about whether the record can be corrected years later. Cricket Australia's answer, so far, is no. Anyone following the story will want to watch for any response from Khawaja or the other players named in the book.