Former Head Coach Darren Lehmann Responds, Says Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid

Melbourne,07 November (H.S.): Former Australia opening batter Usman Khawaja has made a sensational revelation about the infamous 2018 ball-tampering scandal, claiming that the entire Australian team, including players and support staff, was involved in the incident during the tour of South Africa. He argued that it was unfair to place the entire blame on Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, as everyone in the team was aware of what was happening. Meanwhile, former Australia head coach Darren Lehmann questioned Khawaja's revelations, saying that some things should be left unsaid for the greater good of the game and those associated with it.

Khawaja made the remarks ahead of the release of his autobiography, titled 'Sabr'. In an interview with Nine, he said, We were all involved in it. Not just the batters, not just the bowlers, but all of us, including the support staff. Ideally, I did not want to be the one to come forward and tell the truth. I genuinely thought that, after eight years, the truth would have come out by now. Perhaps I expected David Warner or someone else to speak openly about it, but that never happened. From the very beginning, I have believed that collective responsibility should have been taken.

Khawaja said that, following the incident, he had also urged Australian players in the dressing room to accept responsibility as a team. According to him, everyone knew what was happening, and therefore, the responsibility should have been shared collectively. However, that did not happen, and only three players ended up bearing the consequences.

I told them to accept it as a team. We did this together as a team. We knew what was happening, and we should have taken responsibility for it collectively. But that did not happen, and those three players faced severe criticism. Over the past eight years, I have repeatedly seen David Warner being singled out. It was not easy to remain silent for so long without saying anything, he said.

Khawaja also revealed that Cricket Australia had not even interviewed him during its investigation into the 2018 incident. The investigation, conducted following the Cape Town Test, was led by then Chief Integrity Officer Iain Roy and Team Performance Manager Pat Howard. The inquiry eventually resulted in suspensions being imposed on Smith, Warner and Bancroft.

Khawaja said, I was sitting right next to Cameron Bancroft throughout that entire Test match, yet nobody interviewed me. I firmly believe this was because they knew that I considered it a collective responsibility of the entire team and that, had I been interviewed, I would have been prepared to tell the truth.

Lehmann Says Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid

Reacting to Khawaja's revelations, former Australia head coach Darren Lehmann expressed reservations, saying that certain matters should not be brought up again in the interest of the game and the people associated with it. Lehmann, who stepped down from his position following the ball-tampering controversy during the Test match in Cape Town in March 2018, said in an interview with ABC Grandstand on Saturday that the incident continued to evoke painful memories.

He said, It has been quite an eventful morning, hasn't it? It has brought back some really bad memories. It was a dark day for Australian cricket. Things were happening around the world, as many people have said before. However, the extent of how much each individual knew may vary from person to person. At this point, I feel sorry for the players involved and their families because this is taking them back to a very difficult period. This is not a good situation at the beginning of the summer.

Lehmann said that, given that the incident had occurred eight years ago, some details might still be remembered by those involved, while others might have faded with time. He also questioned the timing of Khawaja's statements, coming just ahead of the release of his autobiography.

He said, Could Khawaja have said this eight years ago? Perhaps this is part of his book. Books are meant to sell. He has retired now. To be honest, I have not spoken to Usman. He has neither called me nor sent me a message.

Lehmann further said that he had also needed considerable support behind the scenes following the incident and that revisiting the controversy was bringing back memories of a difficult period in his life.

He said, All of this takes you back to a dark period. Hopefully, I will be able to get through it. Perhaps this is also part of the process of selling a book. I do not know how much money he is being paid for it. Perhaps it is a substantial amount. Sometimes, for the greater good of the game and the people associated with it, some things are better left unsaid.

Lehmann said that fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, along with spinner Nathan Lyon, should now put forward their perspectives on Khawaja's revelations. His comments have also brought renewed scrutiny on these bowlers. In 2021, the players had issued a joint statement denying any knowledge of the use of an external substance to alter the condition of the ball during the match.

It may be recalled that following the ball-tampering incident during Australia's tour of South Africa in 2018, Cricket Australia imposed 12-month bans from international and domestic cricket on Steve Smith and David Warner. Cameron Bancroft was handed a nine-month suspension. At the time, Cricket Australia's investigation held only these three players responsible for the controversy. Khawaja's latest revelations have once again brought the eight-year-old scandal into the spotlight.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar