Peter Collins, a key figure in the independent review into Australian cricket's culture after the 2018 Sandpapergate scandal, has called on Cricket Australia to launch a fresh investigation into the ball-tampering affair. Collins spoke to nine.com.au on Wednesday, 11 November, a day after Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg said the governing body would not reopen the case.

Collins said the board must test the claims made by Usman Khawaja in his new memoir, Sabr, in which the former Australia batter says the entire Australian Test team was aware of sandpaper being used during the 2018 Cape Town Test against South Africa. Khawaja also claims sandpaper was used a Test earlier, in Gqeberha, before the team was caught on camera in Cape Town.

Khawaja's notes at the centre of the call

Collins, who helped facilitate the review into the team's on-field culture in the wake of the scandal, said any new investigation must start with Khawaja himself. "We need to have a further investigation," he told nine.com.au. "Khawaja needs to be interviewed, and his contemporaneous notes need to be reviewed."

He argued that establishing whether Khawaja's account contradicts the longstanding denials of the bowling group is a matter of fairness to the players involved. "What we don't know is whether or not what Khawaja is saying is true, and until we can get to that, this cloud of doubt hangs over the four bowlers and Smith and the team," Collins said, referring to Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Steve Smith.

Cricket Australia refuses to reopen the case

Greenberg said on Tuesday that Cricket Australia is comfortable with the outcome of the 2018 probe and has no intention of reopening it. The original investigation found Warner and captain Steve Smith guilty of orchestrating the plan, resulting in 12-month playing bans for both, while Cameron Bancroft, who was caught applying the sandpaper on camera, received a nine-month suspension. Smith was also barred from holding a leadership role for two years, and Warner was handed a lifetime leadership ban that was lifted in 2024.

Former opener David Warner has publicly backed Khawaja's version of events. Collins said the board cannot simply wait for the controversy to pass. "Cricket Australia cannot just hope it all goes away. Failing to investigate won't resolve the issue," he said, adding: "God knows what's in Warner's book." Cricket Australia declined to comment when contacted by nine.com.au about Collins' remarks.

Collins framed the issue as one of responsibility to the players whose reputations remain under scrutiny. "The tragedy for me is Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Smith are all great players, and this very different version of events provided by Khawaja and backed by Warner shouldn't be allowed by Cricket Australia to hang over their heads," he said.

The debate is set to continue this week, with ODI captain Mitchell Marsh due to face the media on Thursday ahead of the first ODI against England in Perth on Friday, 13 November. Marsh, who was on the 2018 tour of South Africa, is expected to be asked where he stands on Khawaja's claims.