'Australian fans have not moved on' – Michael Clarke joins Sandpapergate storm as pressure mounts on CA

The 2018 ball-tampering scandal at Cape Town has resurfaced with renewed intensity following revelations in Usman Khawaja's forthcoming autobiography Sabr. Khawaja claims that the entire Australian Test dressing room, including players and support staff, possessed knowledge of sandpaper use during the South Africa tour. The incident, captured on camera during the third Test, resulted in suspensions for Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. Fresh scrutiny has now fallen on Cricket Australia's original investigation and whether its findings adequately addressed the full scope of the controversy.

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has become a prominent voice demanding transparency and a comprehensive reopening of the matter. Speaking on 2DayFM's Breakfast with Nath & Emma, Clarke expressed frustration that multiple opportunities to uncover the complete truth have been missed over the years.

"We haven't moved on. Australian fans have not moved on. They can't trust what's real. They don't know the truth – until this (investigation) gets reopened and the truth comes out," Clarke said in the above mentioned source.

What did Michael Clarke say about the Sandpapergate investigation?

Clarke outlined the missed opportunities to establish the facts during previous moments when the issue could have been resolved.

"We had the chance in 2018. The truth didn't come out. We had the chance in 2021 when (Cameron Bancroft) made those comments (to The Guardian). The truth didn't come out. Now we've got this opportunity. I would just like to see whatever the truth is for it all to come out, allow people to finally tell the truth, and move on," Clarke said.

Clarke raised specific questions about the scope of knowledge within the squad and whether the ball-tampering extended beyond the Cape Town Test.

"For me, right now, there's more questions than answers. I want to know, firstly, did everyone know? Because certain players have come out and said they didn't. I want to know: did they know or not? That's important information so we can get the truth. And did it happen in the game before? That's also what I'm hearing, that (it didn't just happen) in Cape Town," Clarke said.

How have other players and Cricket Australia responded to Khawaja's claims?

David Warner publicly backed Khawaja's account, describing it as accurate and criticising Cricket Australia's original investigation as rushed and inadequate. Warner's endorsement added significant weight to the renewed pressure on the governing body to reconsider its position.

Mitchell Starc, one of Australia's frontline bowlers during the 2018 tour, reiterated his earlier stance on the matter. In 2021, Starc joined Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon in issuing a joint statement regarding their knowledge of the incident. When asked about Khawaja's claim that sandpaper was used during the second Test in Gqeberha, Starc indicated this represented new information to him.

Cricket Australia's chief executive Todd Greenberg has ruled out reopening the investigation, stating that the organisation remains satisfied with the original findings. Greenberg acknowledged that certain details in Khawaja's book contradict accounts provided by other individuals but maintained the board's confidence in the investigation's outcome.