Joe Root: England batter does not feel ball-tampering was rife in world cricket at time of Australia 'Sandpapergate' scandal
Joe Root on Usman Khawaja's ball-tampering claims: "We have no idea (about it)"; Khawaja says Australia experimented with lifting seam during 2017-18 Ashes; ECB replied "no comment" when approached by Sky Sports News; Root in England squad to face Australia in three ODIs from Friday
Wednesday 11 November 2026 13:59, UK
England's Joe Root says he does not believe ball-tampering was rampant across the international game at the time of Australia's 'Sandpapergate' scandal as he chose not to pile in on his Ashes rivals following Usman Khawaja's explosive claims.
Former Baggy Greens batter Khawaja alleged in his just-released autobiography, 'Sabr', that every member of the team knew about the plot to alter the condition of the ball in South Africa in 2018.
Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera applying sandpaper to the ball during a game in Cape Town and subsequently banned for nine months, with then-captain Steve Smith and David Warner, who was seen as the architect of the plot, handed year-long suspensions.
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In his book, Khawaja also said Australia experimented with lifting the seam on the ball during the 2017-18 Ashes at home to England, which they won 4-0 under the captaincy of Smith.
The ECB said 'no comment' when approached by Sky Sports News.
Root, currently in Australia ahead of a three-match ODI series that begins in Perth on Friday, replied "I can only speak from my own experiences, that's not how I feel," when asked if he thought ball-tampering was rife in the sport eight years ago.
The England Test captain added of Khawaja's claims: "We obviously have no idea (about it).
"It's all speculation. 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."
Australia captain Marsh set to be grilled on Thursday
Khawaja is understood to have adjusted further promotional interviews for his book after an awkward exchange on Australian broadcaster ABC's 7.30 programme in which he refused to name which players had knowledge of 'Sandpapergate'.
Australia's white-ball captain for the England series, Mitchell Marsh, played in the infamous Cape Town Test eight years ago and will surely be grilled on Khawaja's claims when he holds a press conference on Thursday.
Bowlers Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, who issued a joint statement in 2021 denying any prior knowledge of the use of sandpaper, are not involved in the ODIs or T20s versus England.
Cummins said in South Africa last month, where Australia lost 2-1 in their first Test series in the country since the 'Sandpapergate' affair, that he had spoken to Khawaja about his book and was not concerned about any potential fallout.
"He just basically gave me the heads-up that he's doing a book, and yeah, as always, no worries. Tell your story. It's fine," Cummins told reporters.
Despite Khawaja's claims, Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg, who was not involved with the organisation at the time of the ball-tampering scandal, said there was "no compelling reason" to re-open an investigation.
Root ahead of 200th ODI: You have to keep evolving
Root is in line to play his 200th one-day international on Friday, having made his England debut in that format in India in 2013 and since gone on to notch a national-record 8,010 runs, with 20 hundreds and 49 half-centuries at an average of 50.37.
The Yorkshireman said: "I played my 100th ODI in Sydney and to be back here for my 200th game is obviously a huge privilege. To play as many games I have is a real privilege.
"As a player, you've just got to keep evolving, finding ways of understanding the rhythm of the game.
"I've played alongside a number of different players in a number of different teams. Some very successful, some at the other end of the scale as well.
"Through that you gain a huge amount of experience and understand the different things that are required in different moments.
"I do feel like that will obviously always help me now for the rest of my career in terms of having that in the bank."
Schedule for England's tour of Australia
ODIs 3.30am UK time, with T20s 8.15am UK time
- First ODI: Friday, November 13 (Perth)
- Second ODI: Sunday November 15 (Adelaide)
- Third ODI: Wednesday November 18 (Hobart)
- First T20I: Saturday November 21 (Melbourne)
- Second T20I: Tuesday November 24 (Carrara)
- Third T20I: Friday November 27 (Brisbane)
- Fourth T20I: Sunday November 29 (Sydney)
- Fifth T20I: Wednesday December 2 (Canberra)
