Former Australian Test captain Michael Clarke has called for the 2018 Sandpapergate investigation to be reopened, saying Australian fans 'can't trust what's real' in the wake of Usman Khawaja's explosive new book detailing the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal. Clarke's remarks come as the controversy — nearly eight years old — has been reignited by fresh claims implicating the entire Australian Test squad.

Khawaja's Book and What It Alleges

In his new autobiography, Sabr, Usman Khawaja claims that the entire Australian Test team was aware that sandpaper was being used to illegally alter the ball during the 2018 Cape Town Test against South Africa. The book's pre-release extracts sent shockwaves through Australian cricket, with former opener David Warner — who served a 12-month ban for his role in the scandal — publicly backing Khawaja's version of events.

Cricket Australia Refuses to Reopen Inquiry

Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg said on radio station SEN on Tuesday that the governing body would not reopen the investigation, stating it was 'comfortable with the outcome' of the original 2018 probe. The position has drawn immediate criticism, with Clarke arguing that the same opportunities in 2018 and again in 2021 were squandered without the full truth emerging.

Clarke: 'More Questions Than Answers'

Speaking on 2DayFM's Breakfast with Nath & Emma, Clarke was unequivocal about the need for transparency. '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,' he said.

Clarke also flagged unresolved questions about whether ball-tampering occurred in matches prior to Cape Town. '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?' he added.

The Bancroft Moment That Refused to Fade

The scandal's long tail was first extended in 2021 when Cameron Bancroft — the player filmed concealing sandpaper in his trousers during the Cape Town Test — suggested in an interview with The Guardian that front-line bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon were aware of the plot, calling it 'self-explanatory.' The four bowlers subsequently issued a joint statement categorically denying any knowledge of the use of a foreign substance.

Clarke made clear that those denials remain unresolved in the public mind: 'We had the chance in 2018. The truth didn't come out. We had the chance in 2021 when (Cameron Bancroft) made those comments. 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,' he said.

What Happens Next

With Cricket Australia having ruled out a fresh inquiry, the pressure now falls on the sport's custodians to respond to what is increasingly a reputational crisis. Khawaja's book is yet to be formally released, meaning further extracts could surface new details. Whether the governing body revisits its position — or faces calls from players, fans, and legislators to do so — remains the central question hanging over Australian cricket heading into the summer.