Usman Khawaja has reportedly reached out to Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins and Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg ahead of the release of his forthcoming autobiography, Sabr, which is scheduled for publication on November 10. The former opening batsman is believed to have sought discussions regarding potentially revealing content related to the 2018 Sandpapergate scandal during Australia’s tour of South Africa.

The interactions reportedly took place in the months leading up to Australia’s recent Test series against Bangladesh, including a private meeting between Khawaja and Cummins in Brisbane. While the exact details of the book’s content remain confidential, considerable attention is expected on the sections addressing the 2018 ball-tampering incident involving Cameron Bancroft, Steve Smith, and David Warner.

Khawaja’s decision to alert both the Australian captain and Cricket Australia’s chief executive suggests a desire to prepare them in advance for what the book may disclose. However, no public indication has emerged that Khawaja accuses anyone beyond the three banned players of prior knowledge or involvement in the incident. The official investigation by Cricket Australia concluded that Bancroft, Smith, and Warner were solely responsible for the plan to use sandpaper on the ball during the third Test in Cape Town, with no evidence implicating other players or staff.

Khawaja has a longstanding friendship with Warner, one of the suspended trio. After the scandal broke in 2018, Khawaja reportedly urged the Australian team to accept collective responsibility for the incident rather than isolating the three individuals who faced disciplinary measures.

Among those who played in the match where the tampering occurred were four Australian bowlers—Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon—all of whom remain integral members of the current squad. These bowlers have consistently denied any foreknowledge of the plan, issuing a joint statement in 2021 following Bancroft’s comments in an interview with a UK outlet. The statement asserted that none of them were aware a foreign substance had been used until visual evidence appeared on the big screen at Newlands stadium.

With Australia preparing for its first Test series in South Africa since 2018, Khawaja’s book is expected to attract significant interest, especially with regards to how it portrays this controversial chapter in recent Australian cricket history.