Handscomb and Root distance themselves from sandpaper claims
- Peter Handscomb and Joe Root have declined to speculate on recent sandpaper allegations.
- Chris Broad accused Darren Lehmann of bringing sandpaper onto the field in 2018.
- Simon Longstaff stated he was restricted from investigating 2018 events during his cultural review.
- David Warner expressed agreement with Chris Broad's recent comments on social media.
- Pat Cummins and Mitchell Marsh are expected to address the controversy publicly soon.
Peter Handscomb and Joe Root distanced themselves from fresh sandpaper allegations on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, stating they do not want to speculate on the controversy. Handscomb, who scored a century for Victoria at the Melbourne Cricket Ground that day, said he was a reserve player during the 2018 tour and was instructed by Darren Lehmann to check on the situation on the field.
Handscomb said he has not reached out to other players regarding the recent revelations. "I'm sure their phones are probably going mental anyway," he added.
Joe Root refused to comment on Usman Khawaja's claims regarding the 2017-18 Ashes, noting he was not in the Australian dressing room. He prefers to focus on the upcoming three-match ODI series.
Root denied that all teams were tampering during that period. "I can only speak from my own experiences and that's not how I feel, no," he said.
Chris Broad accuses Darren Lehmann of 2018 involvement
Chris Broad accused Darren Lehmann of bringing sandpaper onto the field in 2018 during an interview with Track Radio on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Broad also referenced a 2013 incident where Lehmann allegedly threatened to make Stuart Broad cry.
David Warner expressed public support for the comments on social media. "I couldn't agree more and that's hard for me to say!" Warner wrote.
Cultural review leader Longstaff claims he was misled
Longstaff stated that if the allegations made by Usman Khawaja in his autobiography are accurate, then he was "lied to" during the review process.
His team heard "whispers" that the public record was incomplete, Longstaff added. He remains bound by confidentiality and cannot name the individuals who provided those claims.
Australian players respond to ongoing controversy
Mitchell Starc denied any knowledge of sandpaper being brought onto the field. "We weren't aware," Starc said.
Mitchell Marsh has refused to revisit the sandpapergate controversy.
Cummins and Marsh prepare for public statements
Mitchell Marsh is expected to address the media at a captain's press conference on Thursday before the first one-day international in Perth.
Australia captain Pat Cummins is preparing to speak publicly regarding the allegations made by Khawaja. Cummins has yet to speak publicly regarding the new revelations about the 2018 sandpaper controversy.
Usman Khawaja continues book tour amid controversy
His publisher, Penguin, stated there were no major cancellations of the tour, only "adjustments".
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