Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has called for the investigation into the country's 2018 ball-tampering scandal to be reopened, saying supporters still do not know the full truth about the incident. His comments came after former Australia batter Usman Khawaja claimed that the entire team knew about the use of sandpaper to alter the ball during the controversial Test against South Africa.

The Australia ball-tampering scandal erupted during the third Test in Cape Town in March 2018. The incident resulted in year-long bans for then captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and batter Cameron Bancroft. However, Cricket Australia's investigation at the time concluded that the team's bowling attack had no knowledge of the plan to tamper with the ball.

Speaking to 2DayFM, Clarke said Australian cricket fans had not moved on from the controversy because important questions remained unanswered. He argued that the investigation should be conducted again so those involved could share their accounts and the public could understand what actually happened.

Clarke also called on current Australia Test captain Pat Cummins to respond to Khawaja's allegations. Cummins was part of the bowling attack during the Cape Town Test. Clarke questioned whether the bowlers knew about the sandpaper and said the issue deserved a clear explanation. He also pointed out that Smith lost the captaincy following the scandal, while Tim Paine later took over before Cummins became Test captain in November 2021.

Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg, however, has said there is no compelling reason to reopen the investigation. He said he wanted to examine Khawaja's comments in full rather than react to headlines. Greenberg added that players had previously been given opportunities to provide information and that the organisation remained satisfied with the findings based on the evidence available.

Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc has also rejected the suggestion that the bowling attack knew about the sandpaper being taken onto the field. He said his recollection had not changed since the players issued a statement in 2021. Starc added that the bowlers only became aware of the incident when it appeared on the stadium's big screen in Cape Town.

Meanwhile, Warner has publicly supported Khawaja's account, describing his recollections as accurate. Khawaja has also made claims about sandpaper being used during the second Test in Port Elizabeth. Starc said this was the first time he had heard of such an allegation involving that match.

The Australian Cricketers' Association described the 2018 tour as a low point for the country's cricket history. It also said the banned players had paid a significant price and called for an end to continued criticism of those involved. With former players offering conflicting accounts, the debate over the Australia ball-tampering scandal has once again put Cricket Australia's handling of the incident under scrutiny.