Cameron Bancroft, the Australian batter at the centre of the 2018 sandpaper gate scandal, is focused on moving forward rather than revisiting the controversy, according to Western Australia coach Beau Casson. The scandal has resurfaced following fresh claims by former Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja that the entire Australian team was aware of the ball-tampering during the Cape Town Test against South Africa.

Fresh Claims Reignite Old Controversy

Khawaja has alleged, in details he is set to expand upon in his forthcoming book Sabar, that knowledge of the sandpaper's use extended beyond the small group initially held accountable. Reports from Nine newspapers have added another layer, suggesting the sandpaper was also discussed and deployed during the preceding Test in Gqeberha — and that Bancroft had reportedly volunteered to use the object during the first innings of that match. These claims have thrust the 2018 ball-tampering scandal back into the headlines years after bans were served and careers were rebuilt.

Coach Casson Backs Bancroft's Composure

Bancroft turned out for Western Australia in their one-day match against England at the WACA on Saturday, a game WA lost by 92 runs. Speaking to reporters after the match, Casson was measured in his assessment of how his batter has dealt with renewed scrutiny.

'The situation's a long time ago. I think he's keen to move on and let his bat do the talking,' Casson said, as quoted by Cricinfo. 'You can't control everything. The way he's handled it, over the past couple of weeks, and over the years gone by, it speaks volumes of the way he's done that.'

Casson added: 'He certainly sets the example of how to go about being a professional cricketer.'

Bans, Careers, and the Uneven Road Back

When cameras captured Bancroft tamper with the ball during the Cape Town Test, Cricket Australia moved swiftly. Bancroft received a nine-month ban from both international and domestic cricket. Then-captain Steve Smith and then-vice-captain David Warner were each handed one-year bans. Warner was also given a lifetime leadership ban — a sanction later lifted in 2024 — while Smith received a separate 12-month leadership ban.

Smith and Warner ultimately rebuilt high-profile Test careers after serving their suspensions. Bancroft's trajectory has been markedly different. His Test appearances have been sparse, and his domestic form since the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 has been patchy, leaving him on the fringes of national selection.

Bancroft at Peace With Test Career Likely Over

'I'm definitely not as feverish now about my opportunities to play at that level,' Bancroft told ABC Grandstand last week. 'I'm fully accepting of the fact that the likelihood is that I won't play at that level again. If an opportunity came I'd be very grateful and I'd take it, but I'm at peace with playing at the level and the opportunity I had there.'

It remains unclear whether Bancroft will formally respond to Khawaja's claims. For now, with the domestic season underway, all attention at the WACA will be on whether the bat, rather than the past, can define what remains of his cricket story.