England Test captain Joe Root has firmly declined to engage with the resurfacing of the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, stating he had no knowledge of the internal dynamics within the Australian squad. Speaking in New Delhi ahead of the three-match ODI series, Root addressed the fresh allegations head-on but refused to offer any commentary on the specifics. “I wasn’t in that [Australia] dressing room, I don’t know what went on. I don’t want to speculate,” Root stated, emphasizing that his primary objective is to concentrate on the upcoming fixtures rather than historical controversies.
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The controversy has reignited following the release of former Australian batter Usman Khawaja’s autobiography, *Sabr*, in which he claimed the 2018 incident was not an isolated act by Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft. Khawaja alleged that the practice was known to the wider Australian team, including support staff, and suggested that ball-lifting was a broader issue within the culture at the time. Root confirmed that the England management has no clear information regarding these latest claims and has chosen to keep the team’s attention strictly on their current competitive duties.
When pressed on whether he had ever experienced similar practices during his own career, Root was unequivocal in his denial. “I can only speak from my own experiences and that’s not how I feel, no,” he said, drawing a sharp line between his professional conduct and the allegations facing his counterparts. By refusing to validate or dispute Khawaja’s narrative, Root aims to maintain team unity and avoid distracting from England’s immediate goals in the ODI series, leaving the broader implications of *Sandpapergate* for the Australian cricket establishment to address.
Source: Yahoo Sports
