Joe Root's answer about Usman Khawaja's Sandpapergate claim speaks volumes as new allegations emerge
England Test captain Joe Root has given a definitive response when asked about Usman Khawaja's new allegations about Sandpapergate - which include a claim that Australia tampered with the ball during the 2017/18 Ashes series.
Khawaja's new autobiography, 'Sabr', reveals more details about the Sandpapergate scandal, which occurred during the third Test of Australia's series against South Africa. Captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft all received bans for their respective parts in the plot - but Khawaja says the entire Australia team in Cape Town knew about the ball-tampering.
In addition, the former opener claims that Australia found ways to exploit reverse-swing during the aforementioned Ashes series, citing a delivery from Mitchell Starc that landed on a crack in the pitch before taking out James Vince's off-stump.
Joe Root responds to Usman Khawaja claims
The fall-out from Khawaja's bombshell claims are being played out in public ahead of Australia's upcoming ODI series against England, which begins in Perth on Friday.
"In terms of everything that's happening or come out in the last little while, we obviously have no idea. And it's all speculation," Root told reporters in Perth when asked if he had any comment to make on Sandpapergate.
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"Our focus and our concerns are on this three-match series. I wasn't in that dressing room, I don't know what went on. I don't want to speculate and, as I said, my focus is with this team right now."
Root also stated he had no knowledge of England ever employing ball-tampering tactics during his time in international cricket: "I can only speak from my own experiences and that's not how I feel, no."
England white-ball captain Harry Brook has yet to be asked about Khawaja's remarks, having held a pre-series press conference prior to the explosive claims from the autobiography emerging publicly.
What other Australian players have said about Sandpapergate
Following Khawaja's initial claims about Sandpapergate, both Bancroft and Warner gave vastly differing statements.
Bancroft said he would not be commenting further on the matter 'at this stage', while Warner posted a two-minute video to Instagram in which he stated that Khawaja's remarks were '100 per cent accurate'.
Australia's bowling contingent from the Cape Town Test - Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Mitchell Starc and current captain Pat Cummins - had all remained silent on the matter until Starc spoke to the media on Tuesday ahead of the England series.
"As far as our statement said, we weren't aware of things being taken on the field," the left-arm fast bowler told reporters. "That's where I'll leave it. We weren't aware anything was taken on to the field to be tampered with. We saw [sandpaper] on the big screen in Cape Town.
"As far as the book is concerned, I haven't read it. I probably won't read it. So that's for Usman to elaborate on. I'll stick to what I said five years, what I said at the time eight years ago."
Ryan Smart
