Alyssa Healy 'slightly conflicted' over Khawaja's sandpaper claims involving Starc
Synopsis
Usman Khawaja's memoir Sabr has ripped open Sandpapergate all over again — this time alleging the entire Australian Test squad knew about the sandpaper, and that it was used in more than one match. With Mitchell Starc pushing back and Cricket Australia ruling out a fresh inquiry, Alyssa Healy's candid 'slightly conflicted' admission captures the tension rippling through Australian cricket's closest circles.
Key Takeaways
Alyssa Healy said she feels 'slightly conflicted' as husband Mitchell Starc is drawn into Sandpapergate renewed by Usman Khawaja 's book Sabr .
Khawaja alleges the entire Australian Test team knew about sandpaper use during the 2018 Cape Town Test and also claims tampering occurred in the second Test of that series.
Mitchell Starc has rejected the claims, standing by a 2021 joint statement with Cummins , Hazlewood , and Lyon denying knowledge of on-field tampering.
Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg said there is 'absolutely no benefit' in reopening the investigation eight years on.
Healy welcomed CA's stance and urged empathy for those being dragged back through the controversy.
Former Australia women's cricket captain Alyssa Healy has said she feels 'slightly conflicted' over the renewed Sandpapergate controversy, after her husband Mitchell Starc was drawn back into the scandal following explosive claims in Usman Khawaja's new autobiography Sabr. Speaking at a media event in Sydney on 10 November 2026, Healy said she was choosing to 'sit and wait and watch it unfold' before making any further comment.
What Khawaja Claimed in His Book
In Sabr, Khawaja alleges that the entire Australian Test squad was aware that sandpaper was being used to tamper with the ball during the 2018 Cape Town Test against South Africa — the incident that became infamously known as Sandpapergate. More significantly, Khawaja also claims that ball tampering was not confined to that match, alleging that sandpaper was used during the second Test of the same series as well. The revelations widen the scope of what had previously been characterised as an isolated, three-man operation involving Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft.
Starc's Rebuttal and the 2021 Joint Statement
Mitchell Starc has firmly rejected Khawaja's account. He reiterated his position, standing by a 2021 joint statement he released alongside fellow bowlers Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon, in which the four denied any knowledge of ball tampering being carried out on the field during the Cape Town Test. The statement had been issued three years after the original incident as questions about broader team awareness persisted in cricket circles.
Healy Speaks Out — Carefully
Addressing the media at Kayo Sports and Fox Cricket's launch event, Healy was measured in her response. 'It's a hard one to comment on. At the moment, I feel slightly conflicted, and I'm in the middle of it. It's hard to make a comment on it, we'll see where it goes and if CA do take it forward or how it rolls throughout the media, and I'll make a comment from there. For now, I'm just gonna sit and wait and watch it unfold,' she said.
Healy also welcomed Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive Todd Greenberg's stance against reopening the investigation, noting it signalled a forward-looking approach ahead of the Australian summer. 'Todd Greenberg's statement today about not looking into it any further is a great sign of where we're headed and that's moving forward and looking ahead to this summer,' she added.
CA Rules Out Fresh Inquiry
Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg said there is 'absolutely no benefit' in revisiting the more than eight-year-old incident. His remarks reflect a broader institutional preference within CA to treat the original sanctions — which saw Smith and Warner handed 12-month bans and Bancroft a nine-month ban — as a closed chapter. Critics, however, argue that Khawaja's claims, if substantiated, raise serious questions about the accuracy of that original finding.
Human Cost and What Comes Next
Healy also appealed for empathy toward those being re-exposed to the events. 'I feel for everyone involved. I know a human element in it as well that people are being dragged back through some things and reliving some memories. I think from a human side of things we've got to remember that and put our arms around the people that are being mentioned,' she said. With CA having ruled out a fresh probe for now, the controversy is likely to simmer through media coverage and book promotion. Whether Khawaja's account prompts any formal review — or remains a contested memoir claim — will depend in large part on whether other players corroborate or refute his version of events.
Point of View
The three-man punishment of Smith, Warner, and Bancroft was fundamentally incomplete, and the institution that administered it has a credibility problem. Cricket Australia's refusal to reopen the case is understandable as crisis management, but it does not resolve the factual contradiction Khawaja has introduced. The more significant question is whether any of the other players named or implied in the memoir will now speak publicly — because silence, in this context, will be read as neither confirmation nor denial.
NationPress
10 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Usman Khawaja claim in his book Sabr about Sandpapergate?
Khawaja claims in Sabr that the entire Australian Test team was aware of sandpaper being used to tamper with the ball during the 2018 Cape Town Test against South Africa. He also alleges that ball tampering with sandpaper occurred during the second Test of the same series, extending the scope of the original incident beyond what the Cricket Australia investigation had established.
How did Mitchell Starc respond to Khawaja's allegations?
Mitchell Starc rejected Khawaja's claims and reiterated his position as stated in a 2021 joint statement he co-signed with Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon. The statement denied that the four bowlers had any knowledge of ball tampering being conducted on the field during the Cape Town Test.
Why is Alyssa Healy 'slightly conflicted' about the controversy?
Healy is conflicted because her husband Mitchell Starc is directly implicated by Khawaja's claims, yet she is also navigating the public dimension of the story. She said she is waiting to see how Cricket Australia and the media handle it before making a fuller comment, while also expressing empathy for all those being drawn back into the painful episode.
Will Cricket Australia reopen the Sandpapergate investigation?
No — Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg stated there is 'absolutely no benefit' in revisiting the investigation more than eight years after the incident. CA appears committed to treating the original sanctions as a closed chapter, though Khawaja's book has reignited public debate about the thoroughness of that original inquiry.
Who was originally punished for Sandpapergate and what were the penalties?
Steve Smith and David Warner each received 12-month bans from international cricket, while Cameron Bancroft was handed a nine-month ban, following the 2018 Cape Town Test ball-tampering incident. Khawaja's new book challenges the finding that only these three players were involved or aware of the plan.
