Starc reiterates 2018 ball-tampering account after Khawaja's claims in Sabr

Mitchell Starc reiterated his account of Australia's 2018 ball-tampering scandal in Sydney on Tuesday after former teammate Usman Khawaja said in his book Sabr that every member of the team knew about a plan to alter the ball during the South Africa tour. David Warner backed Khawaja's claims on Monday evening, drawing renewed attention as Australia prepare for their home Test summer.

Khawaja's allegations, detailed in his newly released book Sabr, have reopened one of the most controversial episodes in Australian cricket. Starc was the first member of Australia's current Test squad to address the controversy publicly at an event in Sydney on Tuesday. He said his recollection of events had not changed from the joint statement issued in 2021 with Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon.

Starc acknowledged that differing accounts about the South Africa tour had emerged but insisted his position remained unchanged. "I thought we were here for the summer of cricket," he said when questions turned to the controversy. "We were heavily drilled through the process at the time since. Now, I guess, I won't speak on behalf of the bowlers, but where I stand, my opinion hasn't changed. My recollection hasn't changed from what we said in 2021," he said.

Khawaja's claim that everyone in the Australian team knew about the ball-tampering plan runs counter to the account maintained by the four frontline bowlers. The 2021 statement said they only became aware that a foreign substance had been taken onto the field when images appeared on the big screen at Newlands; it added that umpires Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth inspected the ball and did not change it, finding no visible damage. While the bowlers accepted the incident was wrong and should not have occurred, they urged an end to speculation about their involvement.

Starc denied knowing sandpaper had been used during the second Test in Port Elizabeth and said he first became aware of the incident when footage of Cameron Bancroft concealing sandpaper down his trousers was shown on the stadium big screen in Cape Town. "We weren't aware it was taken on the field to be tampered with. We saw it on the big screen in Cape Town. As far as the book's concerned, I haven't read it and probably won't read it, so that's for Usman to elaborate on," he said.

The fast bowler said he had not spoken to Khawaja over the previous couple of days and gave a brief reply when asked whether he would speak to him again: "It's up to him," Starc said. He described the renewed focus on the scandal as: "It's definitely disappointing," and pointed to former head coach Darren Lehmann, who resigned following the scandal, as someone whose role in the events should not be overlooked.

Australia's first Test of the home summer, against New Zealand, is scheduled to begin in Perth on December 9. Khawaja's revelations have also brought the relationships between members of Australia's 2018 squad into focus.