Khawaja cancels book interviews after refusing to answer key question about Cummins

November 11, 2026 — 10:41am

Usman Khawaja has pulled out of television and radio interviews to promote his controversial book after being grilled by Sarah Ferguson on the ABC’s 7.30 program, during which he failed to answer key questions about Sandpapergate.

Following the bruising interview on Tuesday night, Khawaja has informed his publisher, Penguin, that he will no longer participate in television or radio appearances as part of the publicity campaign for his book, Sabr.

While Khawaja is still expected to appear on podcasts, it would appear he is reluctant to face further questioning about who knew what during Australia’s infamous 2018 Test tour of South Africa.

Penguin was contacted for comment.

As a former Test batsman, Khawaja faced some of the world’s most fearsome fast bowlers during his cricketing career for Australia.

But putting the pads on to face Ferguson on Tuesday evening proved a different challenge altogether.

On the day his controversial book was released, Khawaja spent much of his television interview ducking, weaving and leaving questions unanswered about who knew what during that tour eight years ago.

His body language suggested a man weighed down by the fallout. Relationships with former teammates have been strained, perhaps irreparably, after Khawaja tipped a bucket on numerous figures in Australian cricket, including ex-teammates.

For a man on a publicity blitz, Khawaja appeared remarkably reluctant to discuss some of his book’s most explosive claims.

Central to the controversy is his claim that more players knew about ball tampering tactics being used to illegally alter the condition of the ball, not only during the third Test in Cape Town, where the scandal erupted, but in the preceding match in Port Elizabeth.

Khawaja insists he has not pointed the finger at anyone in particular. Yet by calling on the team to accept collective responsibility, while refusing to identify individuals, he has effectively implicated everyone.

Ferguson took the new ball with aplomb.

“Dave Warner has come out and backed your account of the ball tampering scandal in South Africa,” Ferguson said. “In doing so, he said, ‘lies will eventually get out’. What lies is he talking about?”

Khawaja was immediately on the back foot.

“I’m not going speak on behalf of Davey,” Khawaja said. “I’ve tried my best to tell my story in an open and safe environment. There’s no easy way to do it, but I mean, I’m not here to inflame the situation any more. I was here to tell my truth, what I saw, what I felt, and to stick with those three guys [Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft] that were made out to be the only people who have taken it. I wanted that to be shown.”

That horse, of course, has bolted.

Ferguson asked whether a 2021 statement by Australia’s four bowlers – Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon – denying knowledge of sandpaper being taken onto the field in Cape Town was incorrect. In his book, Khawaja says he was “pissed off” by their joint stance.

There was no such indignation on Tuesday night. Khawaja sidestepped the question.

“I’ll say again, I’ve given my statement about what happened the game before,” he said. “I was very open and honest to what I saw and what conversations I had.

“Sometimes I’m very specific on things and sometimes I’m a bit vague on things and I do it on purpose because I’m trying to tell a story.”

That admission was revealing. Yes, Khawaja has been deliberately vague about the identities of those involved. There may be legal reasons for that caution, but it leaves those who have denied knowledge of the plot facing questions they cannot definitively answer without Khawaja explaining precisely what he alleges.

Ferguson pressed him on whether the four bowlers were involved in conversations about ball tampering.

“I’m just not going … I’m not going to entertain that,” Khawaja said.

He complained about sensationalised coverage over the weekend and insisted his book and social media statements spoke for themselves.

“I’m not going to really speak on any more of it at this moment,” Khawaja told Ferguson.

Therein lies the problem. Why lob a grenade into Australian cricket, question the established account of one of the country’s greatest sporting scandals, and then refuse to explain who knew what?

Ferguson wasn’t letting up.

“You say you want to take the responsibility away from being landed on just those three people,” she said. “That means that other people must take responsibility as well. I want to put it very clearly to you, so there can be no doubt about what it is you are saying. Did Australian captain Pat Cummins have prior knowledge that sandpaper was being used to change the surface of the ball?”

Another leave through to the wicketkeeper.

“I’m not going to answer that,” Khawaja said. “I’ve written what I’ve written in my book. I’ve come out and stood by those three guys and told my account. I think [former teammate] Chadd Sayers came out the other day and [backed me up]. I’m not going to speculate on behalf of anyone else.”

Khawaja said he had deliberately avoided naming individuals and would not start doing so now.

But Ferguson exposed the difficulty with that position.

“And yet by writing this account,” Ferguson said. “Usman Khawaja, you are naming names because you are saying that it’s not just those three players who were responsible.”

She pressed him on whether the rest of the playing group and coaching staff had prior knowledge of sandpaper being used.

“Are you talking about ball tampering or sandpaper?” Khawaja asked.

“Sandpaper,” Ferguson replied.

Again, there was no direct answer.

“I mean, I’ve written in my account from what I’ve seen,” Khawaja said. “People want to know the answers and lots of different answers. And I’ve left it open-ended to some respects because I’ve told my story and I’ve told my truth and I’ll speak for myself.

“I’m hoping other people will come up and talk about it honestly. That’s what I’m hoping. But I’m not forcing anyone to do anything.”

Khawaja insisted this was not a “witch-hunt” and he was not “pointing fingers”, yet he is effectively challenging the integrity of teammates. The interview wasn’t a complete train wreck, but it was eyebrow-raising, to say the least.

Khawaja is entitled to tell his story and there is a legitimate public interest in understanding whether Cricket Australia’s investigation at the time established the entire truth about what happened.

But having made such serious allegations, Khawaja cannot reasonably expect those implicated by his account to escape scrutiny, or for questions about his claims to disappear.

Interestingly, Khawaja said he was not calling for CA to reopen its investigation. The game’s boss said as much on Tuesday. Khawaja also maintained the bans imposed on Smith and Warner - both were suspended for 12 months - and Cameron Bancroft, who received nine months, were excessive.

“I’m not calling for anything. I’m literally sharing my version of the truth,” Khawaja said.

The problem for Australian cricket is that there are now competing versions of what happened in South Africa.

In response to Khawaja’s latest television appearance, CA provided this masthead with a fresh statement.

“The three players who received bans after the Cape Town Test acknowledged their breaches and accepted the penalties imposed,” a CA spokesperson said.

“We have acknowledged that the investigation was conducted in a short timeframe given the impending Test match and that there are varying opinions about some matters including the length of the sanctions imposed. We respect that players have different recollections of events from this time.

“But we remain comfortable the investigation’s findings accurately reflect the statements and evidence provided at the time.”

Ferguson changed tack by asking Khawaja how he had come to the conclusion that he might not have been made interim captain in Smith’s absence in 2018 due to the colour of his skin.

“There’s no concrete evidence of that in terms of what I heard,” Khawaja said. “As I explained with anything in life, whenever I talk about racism or anything along those lines, it’s how I feel at the time.”

But perhaps the most telling exchange came when Ferguson turned to Khawaja’s relationship with Cummins, Australia’s Test captain and one of the players whose reputation has been caught up in the controversy.

“It’s a tricky thing you say with Pat Cummins because reading the book, there is only one conclusion that a reader can draw, and that is that Pat Cummins knew about the use of sandpaper,” Ferguson said. “Is this going to damage your friendship with Pat Cummins?

“I’m not sure,” Khawaja replied. “But I’ve been friends with Pat a long time. I’ve told my truth and I’ve given my reasons at the end of the day. I think some things I’ve always stood for - my values and what I think is right. Yeah, there’s no ideal way of doing this, but I can’t speak for Pat.”

Khawaja has written a book about a scandal that tore Australian cricket apart eight years ago, hoping to shift the burden of responsibility beyond the three men who were punished.

Instead, he has reopened old wounds, put former teammates under renewed scrutiny and left Australian cricket grappling with allegations he appears unwilling to fully explain.

If his friendship with Cummins is damaged beyond repair, it appears Khawaja has made his peace with that possibility.

Tom Decent is the chief sports writer for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.

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