Joe Root has rejected Usman Khawaja's claim in his autobiography Sabr that the whole cricketing world was tampering with the ball during the 2017-18 Ashes. Root said he can only speak from his own experience. David Warner has backed Khawaja, while England also lost Jacob Bethell from their Australia white-ball tour.
Root's Response to the Sabr Allegations
Root captained England in the 2017-18 Ashes. Asked how Khawaja's claims made him feel about that series, he said he was not in the Australian dressing room and did not know what happened there. He added that he did not want to speculate.
Pressed on the wider claim that tampering was universal, Root said that was not how he felt. He called the broader allegations speculation and said England's focus is on the forthcoming three-match series.
"I can only speak from my own experiences. That's not how I feel. I wasn't in that dressing-room. I don't know what went on. I don't want to speculate, as I said. My focus is with this team right now and what we've got coming up. We obviously have no idea. It's all speculation. Our focus, our concerns are on this three-match series," Root said, as quoted by Daily Mail.
What Khawaja Claims in Sabr
Khawaja says Australia also used sandpaper during the second Test at Port Elizabeth in 2018. He writes that every member of the touring party knew about the plans.
He also says Australia experimented with lifting the quarter seam of the ball to generate reverse swing during the 2017-18 Ashes. In his view, the whole world was doing whatever it could to make the ball move.
Warner Backs Khawaja
BBC reports that David Warner has thrown his full support behind his former team-mate. Warner said Khawaja was 100% accurate on the claim that all the Australia players knew about ball-tampering.
Sandpapergate: Key Facts and Sanctions
The original scandal broke eight years ago. Cameron Bancroft was caught using sandpaper on the ball during the third Test against South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town, on March 24, 2018.
The sanctions that followed were significant and affected several members of the Australian setup. The table below summarises them.
| Individual | Role | Sanction |
|---|
| Steve Smith | Player | 12-month ban from international cricket |
| David Warner | Player | 12-month ban from international cricket |
| Cameron Bancroft | Player | 9-month suspension from domestic cricket |
| Darren Lehmann | Head coach | Stepped down from role |
Timeline of Events Referenced
The claims span several matches and years. The table below sets out the incidents as reported.
| Event | Date or Period | Detail |
|---|
| Ashes series | 2017-18 | Khawaja alleges quarter-seam lifting experiments for reverse swing |
| Port Elizabeth Test | 2018 | Khawaja alleges sandpaper was used in the second Test |
| Newlands Test | March 24, 2018 | Bancroft caught using sandpaper against South Africa |
Bethell Leaves England's Australia Tour
Separately, Jacob Bethell has flown home from Perth with a swelling in his right knee. He was due to return in Friday's first ODI against Australia at Optus Stadium. He will see a specialist to determine the full extent of the problem.
Bethell first injured the knee during the Lord's ODI against India on July 19, 2026. He had not played any cricket since that match.
England's Squad Depletion
England's eight-match white-ball tour of Australia is already short of personnel. Josh Tongue has been ruled out of the three-match ODI series with a toe injury, having already missed the five T20 internationals.
England have called up two uncapped players to cover the absences. Ben Duckett, who flourished in a recent tri-series involving Pakistan, will continue opening with Tom Banton.
| Player | Status | Reason or Role |
|---|
| Jacob Bethell | Out of tour | Right knee swelling |
| Josh Tongue | Out of ODI series | Toe injury; also missed five T20Is |
| Eddie Jack | Called up (uncapped) | Hampshire fast bowler |
| James Coles | Called up (uncapped) | Sussex spin-bowling all-rounder |
What Comes Next for England
After the Australia commitments, England travel to South Africa for a Test series. The first Test begins on December 17 in Centurion.
That gives management a window to assess Bethell's fitness and decide whether he can be considered for Test selection. No replacement for Bethell in the Test squad has been confirmed.
For now, the sandpapergate debate and England's squad issues run side by side. Root has chosen to keep the focus on the cricket ahead.