Cricket Australia (CA) has acknowledged that the players involved in the 2018 Sandpapergate ball-tampering scandal are unlikely to ever agree on a shared account of what happened during the Cape Town Test, as fresh claims from multiple former cricketers continue to reignite one of cricket's most damaging controversies.

CA Admits Consensus Is Out of Reach

In a statement issued on Sunday, a CA spokesperson said the governing body respects the right of those present in South Africa in 2018 to share their personal versions of events. However, the organisation stopped short of adjudicating between the conflicting accounts.

'We respect the right of those in South Africa in 2018 to share their version of what they believe happened on that tour,' the spokesperson said, as quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald. 'The significant differences in the views expressed continues to demonstrate that it is very unlikely an agreed version of events will be reached without relevant material evidence,' the spokesperson added.

Sayers Backs Khawaja, Claims Everyone in the Side Knew

The latest escalation was triggered by batter Usman Khawaja, who made explosive allegations that the entire Australian Test team was aware of the ball-tampering scheme — and that sandpaper had also been used during the preceding Test in Port Elizabeth, not just Cape Town.

Former Australian bowler Chadd Sayers, who was part of the touring squad for the 2018 series, rejected skipper Pat Cummins' account and echoed Khawaja's position. Speaking to SEN radio on Sunday, Sayers said he was personally confident the entire side was in the know.

'I'm comfortable sitting here … that I believe that everyone in that side knew what was going on and what was being used,' Sayers told SEN radio. He added: 'I'm not taking sides. I'm neutral in all this … I'm just trying to tell my side of the story and what I believe happened.'

Sayers also addressed media characterisations of him as an ally of Khawaja, insisting he holds no allegiances: 'There are no sides; they've both been great to me throughout my time in the Test squad, so I'm not taking sides; I'm neutral in all this.'

Warner Hits Out at CA Over Withheld Information

Former opener David Warner added another layer to the controversy via an Instagram post, alleging he was forced to accept responsibility in 2018 without being given full information about the incident.

Warner had earlier claimed that fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon were not interviewed as part of CA's original investigation — a claim the Sydney Morning Herald subsequently disputed, confirming the trio did in fact provide statements.

Responding to the clarification, Warner wrote on social media: 'Just to clarify, ‘as far as I am aware’ was the POINT. I was never told the bowlers had been interviewed or provided statements. That information would’ve been pretty useful when I was forced to make decisions in 2018. Why weren't we given all the evidence by CA?'

Background: What Sandpapergate Was and Why It Still Matters

The Sandpapergate scandal broke in March 2018 during Australia’s third Test against South Africa in Cape Town, when then-opener Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera using sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball. Steve Smith and Warner were subsequently banned for 12 months each, while Bancroft received a nine-month ban. The episode remains a flashpoint for questions about team culture, accountability, and institutional oversight within Australian cricket.

Notably, this is not the first time lingering disagreements have surfaced — but Khawaja’s allegation that the deception extended to a previous Test match, if substantiated, would significantly widen the scope of the original misconduct findings. With no new material evidence in sight, the rift among former players appears set to deepen rather than resolve.