Cricket Australia has ruled out reopening its investigation into the 2018 sandpaper scandal, with chief executive Todd Greenberg saying there is no compelling reason to revisit the case.

Greenberg spoke to radio station SEN on Tuesday, 10 November, after former Australia batter Usman Khawaja claimed in his autobiography, Sabr, that the whole Australian team knew about the use of sandpaper during the 2018 tour of South Africa. Khawaja also claimed sandpaper had been used in the Test before the incident that was caught on camera in Cape Town.

Greenberg: no benefit in going back

Greenberg said he had spoken to several members of the 2018 team since Khawaja's claims became public, and that their accounts differed from Khawaja's version of events.

"We don't see any compelling reason to open the investigation or revisit this again. I don't think there's anything that can be gained from that," Greenberg told SEN.

"The chapter was difficult. But there is absolutely no benefit in going back. That's the clear position of the CA board."

He added that Cricket Australia's board, management and high-performance staff had all changed since 2018, and that the players involved were unlikely ever to agree on a single version of what happened.

What Khawaja claimed

Khawaja's book, Sabr, was released on Tuesday. In it, he claimed that the Australian team started using sandpaper in the second Test of the series, at Port Elizabeth, now Gqeberha, before Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera in the third Test at Newlands in Cape Town in March 2018.

Khawaja also said he was never interviewed during Cricket Australia's original investigation, despite sitting beside Bancroft throughout the Cape Town Test.

Former vice-captain David Warner backed Khawaja on Monday, describing his account as "100% accurate" and criticising the 2018 investigation process. Former fast bowler Chadd Sayers also backed Khawaja's revelations.

The 2018 bans

The scandal remains one of the most serious episodes in Australian cricket. Bancroft was caught on camera using sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball during the third Test against South Africa.

Captain Steve Smith and Warner were each banned for 12 months from international and domestic cricket, while Bancroft received a nine-month suspension. Warner was also banned for life from holding a leadership position in Australian cricket, although that ban was lifted in 2024 by an independent review panel.

Cricket Australia's 2018 investigation, led by then chief executive James Sutherland and former head of integrity Iain Roy, concluded that only Smith, Warner and Bancroft knew of the plan. Khawaja has challenged that finding, saying the knowledge was far wider within the team.

Cricket Australia stands by its findings

Cricket Australia has said it remains comfortable with the findings of its integrity process. In a statement issued after Khawaja's claims were published, it said all relevant information presented to it had been properly considered.

"We have said we're comfortable with the outcome of the investigation based on the information we've received," Greenberg said. "That includes what we've seen from Usman, and our position hasn't changed on that."

Khawaja retired from international cricket during the 2025-26 Ashes series. The renewed debate comes as Australia prepare to face England in a white-ball series starting on Friday, with the first one-day international in Perth.