Sydney: Cricket Australia chief Todd Greenberg on Tuesday confirmed that the administration will not launch a fresh inquiry into the 2018 Sandpapergate scandal, asserting that he did not see "any compelling reason" for a new probe.

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The announcement follows claims by former opening batsman Usman Khawaja in his newly released autobiography, Sabr, where he alleged that the ball-tampering plot in Cape Town was common knowledge across the entire team rather than isolated to a small group.

Addressing the revelations, Greenberg acknowledged the claims—which were publicly endorsed as "100 percent accurate" by former opening partner David Warner on Monday—but reiterated that further action is unnecessary.

"We don't see any compelling reason to open the investigation or revisit this again," Greenberg told radio station SEN. "I don't think there's anything that can be gained from that."

The 2018 Cape Town Test scandal resulted in severe penalties for three key figures: captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner, and batsman Cameron Bancroft. Smith received a 12-month ban and was stripped of the captaincy, Bancroft was suspended for nine months, and Warner received a 12-month playing ban alongside a lifetime ban from any leadership roles. A Cricket Australia inquiry at the time concluded that only these three players had prior knowledge of the plot to alter the condition of the ball using sandpaper.

However, Khawaja, who retired this year after an 88-Test career, presents a contrasting account in his book.

"It was all of us. Not the batters, not the bowlers, not the staff. All of us," Khawaja told the Sydney Morning Herald ahead of the book's release.

Current Australian captain Pat Cummins, along with fellow bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon, had previously issued a joint denial in 2021 regarding any prior knowledge of the scheme. Then-head coach Darren Lehmann has also consistently denied widespread awareness within the squad.

Warner, who retired from Test cricket in 2024 after 112 matches, took to Instagram on Monday to back Khawaja's account.

"Uzzie, I throw my full support behind you. I thank you for what you've done," Warner said in a video post. "It's 100 percent accurate what you've said. Now everyone knows the truth. It's out there. People wanted to know it. You've come out and said it."

Warner added that bringing the issue to light was not aimed at causing further disruption to Australian cricket.

"This isn't about reopening old wounds," Warner said. "It's about acknowledging that some wounds never properly healed. I stand with my brother Usman Khawaja. Speaking your truth takes courage, especially when people would rather you stay silent." (AFP)