Years after the infamous ‘Sandpapergate’ scandal in Cape Town shocked the cricketing world, Australian opening batsman Usman Khawaja has reopened deep wounds with his explosive new autobiography, Sabr. The memoir, which hit bookshelves in November 2026, sheds fresh light on the events surrounding the 2018 Test match against South Africa. Among the most striking disclosures in the book are allegations that knowledge of the ball-tampering plot extended far beyond the three players originally sanctioned, sparking intense debates across international cricket and placing the Australian cricket establishment back under a heavy spotlight.

‘We Knew the Cameras Weren’t on Us’: Inside the Dressing Room Fallout

One of the most talked-about passages in Khawaja’s book details the immediate aftermath of the scandal breaking on the stadium’s big screen. According to the veteran opener, players and staff gathered to address the crisis in a tense team environment. Khawaja recalls noting a sobering reality of modern elite sport: they knew precisely when and where broadcast cameras were monitoring their reactions. More critically, the book asserts that when the team was urged to face the consequences together as a unified front, internal division surfaced.

Pointing Fingers: The Two Teammates Who Refused Collective Responsibility

While Khawaja argues that the entire squad shared a collective responsibility for the team culture that led to the incident, he reveals deep disappointment with specific individuals within the camp. In Sabr, Khawaja recounts urging team management and players that “we did it as a team, so we cop it as a team”. However, he claims that two unnamed players explicitly disagreed, refusing to take collective accountability. Writing candidly about the episode, Khawaja noted that witnessing those specific teammates distance themselves showed their true colors under pressure, demonstrating that self-preservation took precedence when the going got tough.

David Warner Backs Claims as Cricket Australia Rules Out Reinvestigation

The fallout from Sabr has triggered a tidal wave of reactions across the cricketing fraternity. Former vice-captain David Warner broke his silence to endorse Khawaja’s account, declaring the revelations “100% accurate” and criticizing the original 2018 investigation as rushed. Meanwhile, current Test captain Pat Cummins and members of the bowling attack have maintained their previous positions, with Cricket Australia officially ruling out any reopening of the historic investigation. As media scrutiny intensifies, Khawaja’s memoir ensures that the ghosts of Newlands will continue to haunt Australian cricket for a long time to come.