Usman Khawaja has decided to step away from his television and radio interview commitments to promote his new book entitled Sabr, after an uncomfortable exchange on a news programme brought renewed attention to the controversial 2018 Australian ball-tampering scandal.
The decision was announced by publisher Penguin on Wednesday morning. The publisher informed media outlets that Usman Khawaja would no longer participate in the planned television and radio interviews. However, he will continue with the podcast appearances that were already scheduled as part of the book’s promotional campaign.
The move reportedly comes from Usman Khawaja’s concern that most of the media attention would revolve around the Sandpapergate controversy rather than the wider subjects covered in his book.
Released on Tuesday, Sabr has attracted considerable attention, particularly because of a chapter titled ‘Sandpaper’. In this chapter, Usman Khawaja claims that the entire Australian team was aware of the ball-tampering incident during the third Test of Australia’s 2018 tour of South Africa.
During his interview, host Sarah Ferguson repeatedly questioned Usman Khawaja about his claims and whether Cricket Australia should reopen its investigation into the incident. Usman Khawaja made it clear that he was not demanding another investigation or any official action. He explained that he was simply sharing his personal account of what he knew and experienced.
The discussion also turned towards former Australian opener David Warner, who has supported Usman Khawaja’s version of events. When asked about the possible allegations David Warner was referring to, Usman Khawaja chose not to speak on his behalf. He also indicated that he did not want to make the controversy bigger than it already was. Usman Khawaja explained that his intention was to share his experiences and question the widely held belief that David Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft were the only players responsible for the incident.
Another major topic during the interview was whether Australia’s bowlers knew that sandpaper was being used on the ball. Mitchell Starc had also been questioned about the matter earlier on Tuesday. However, he continued to stand by the joint statement released in 2021 by him, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon. In that statement, the four bowlers maintained that they had no knowledge of any foreign substance being brought onto the field during the Cape Town Test.
Usman Khawaja, meanwhile, stood by his account and said he had been honest about what he witnessed and the conversations he was part of. He also acknowledged that certain parts of his account were intentionally not explained in detail.
As the interview continued to focus on the same controversy, Usman Khawaja made it clear that he did not wish to discuss those questions any further. With his television and radio appearances now cancelled, the focus will remain on his scheduled podcast interviews and the revelations made in his new book, Sabr.
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