Mitchell Starc has responded to Usman Khawaja's explosive revelations about Australia's 2018 ball-tampering scandal, maintaining that his recollection of the incident has not changed. The left-arm fast bowler stood by the position he and Australia's other senior bowlers had outlined in a joint statement in 2021.

Usman Khawaja's claims in his new book, Sabr, have brought the controversy back into the spotlight after eight years. The former Australia opener alleged that the entire team knew about the use of sandpaper during the South Africa tour, while David Warner has publicly supported his account.

Mitchell Starc addresses Usman Khawaja's claims about Australia's 2018 ball-tampering scandal

Speaking at a Kayo Sports and Fox Cricket season launch event, Mitchell Starc was asked about Khawaja's assertion that the Australian team had also used sandpaper during the second Test in Port Elizabeth, now known as Gqeberha. The fast bowler said he had not been aware of the alleged incident before Khawaja's recent revelations.

Mitchell Starc also made it clear that he would not speak on behalf of the other bowlers. However, he remains firm on what he remembers and referred to the joint statement issued by him, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon in 2021. At the time, the quartet stated that they had no knowledge of anything being taken onto the field to tamper with the ball.

“Yeah, that’s the first I was aware of any of that taking place in PE (second Test) was when (Khawaja said it) … I’ll leave that for said authors to explain,” Mitchell Starc said.

“I haven’t really paid much attention to be fair, obviously there’s differing opinions of eight years ago. We were heavily drilled through the process at the time, and since and 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.

“As far as our statement said, we weren’t aware of things being taken on the field, that’s where I’ll leave it.”

Mitchell Starc's wife Alyssa Healy reacts to Usman Khawaja's Sandpapergate claims

Mitchell Starc's wife and former Australia captain Alyssa Healy was also asked about the controversy during an appearance on Fox Cricket. With her husband among the players whose earlier statements have come under scrutiny, Healy chose not to take a definitive position on Khawaja's allegations.

She acknowledged that her personal connection to the situation made it difficult to comment while the debate was unfolding. Healy said she would wait to see whether Cricket Australia takes further action before offering a more detailed response.

“It’s a hard one to comment on. At the moment, I feel slightly conflicted, and I’m in the middle of it. It’s hard to make a comment on it, we’ll see where it goes and if CA do take it forward or how it rolls throughout the media, and I’ll make a comment from there. For now, I’m just gonna sit and wait and watch it unfold.”

David Warner fully backs Usman Khawaja's claims

David Warner has also entered the discussion after largely avoiding public comments about Sandpapergate for eight years. In an Instagram video shared on November 9, the former opener backed Khawaja's account and thanked him for speaking publicly about the incident.

Warner also questioned the original Cricket Australia investigation, highlighting that Khawaja was sitting beside Cameron Bancroft during the Test but was never interviewed. He argued that the process was rushed and inadequate.

David Warner said the focus should now shift towards accountability and transparency rather than further scrutiny of the players involved. He also revealed that he had to explain the controversy to his daughters, including his 12-year-old Ivy, after they asked about the emotional television footage from 2018.

He acknowledged the lasting impact on his family and those of Steve Smith and Bancroft, while reiterating his support for Khawaja's decision to reveal his account.