Joe Root resisted the opportunity to twist the knife on Australia over ‘sandpapergate’, as Usman Khawaja’s ball-tampering revelations continued to make waves Down Under.
Khawaja’s newly published autobiography has reopened old wounds, with the former opener claiming the entire touring party was aware of the plot which blew up in Cape Town in 2018.
Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were the only parties punished after an investigation by Cricket Australia, but Khawaja’s memoir directly challenges the narrative that they acted alone.
In it, he says responsibility lay with “all of us” and that his attempts at taking collective blame were shot down by specific members of the squad.
Khawaja appears to have been taken aback by the reaction to his explosive recollections, which also include an admission that they had used sandpaper earlier in the South Africa series and had experimented with lifting the seam during the 2017/18 Ashes campaign.
The 39-year-old, who retired earlier this year, railed against “clickbait media” in an Instagram video and is understood to have cancelled further promotional interviews after an awkward appearance on ABC’s 7.30 programme.
Warner, meanwhile, backed his former teammate in an social media post of his own and also claimed the investigation held by Cricket Australia in the aftermath of the controversy was “rushed and botched”.
“It’s been eight years since I’ve spoken on this topic, and Uzzi [Khawaja], I throw my full support behind you,” Warner said on in a video on Instagram.
“I thank you for what you’ve done. It’s 100 per cent accurate what you’ve said. Now everyone knows the truth. It’s out there.”
From his perspective, Root captained England to a painful 4-0 defeat in 2017/18 but refused to wade into the issue which is dominating the news agenda in Australia.
Speaking at Optus Stadium ahead of the ODI series, which begins in Perth on Friday, he said: “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.”
When asked about the idea that ball-tampering was rife across the international game at the time Bancroft was caught red-handed at Newlands, he added: “I can only speak from my own experiences. That’s not how I feel.”
England take on Australia in the first of three ODIs on Friday 13 November with Root then returning to the UK ahead of this winter’s tour of South Africa with the Test team.
Mitchell Starc sticking to his sandpapergate story after Usman Khawaja claims
Cricket Australia rules out reopening ‘Sandpapergate’ inquiry despite Khawaja claims
Usman Khawaja says 'I haven't thrown anyone under the bus' after ball-tampering revelations
Mitchell Starc sticking to his sandpapergate story after Usman Khawaja claims
Cricket Australia rules out reopening ‘Sandpapergate’ inquiry despite Khawaja claims
Brydon Carse can work way back into England team with Lions stint – Marcus North
