The comments were in stark contrast to the findings from the official investigation, which determined only David Warner, Steve Smith and Bancroft knew about the plot.<\/p>\n
Bancroft, who was caught on camera during the Cape Town Test trying to hide the sandpaper in his pants, received a nine-month suspension, while senior figures Warner and Smith were banned for a year.<\/p>\n
Khawaja said he had urged the entire team at the time to take collective responsibility rather than scapegoating Warner, Smith and Bancroft.<\/p>\n
“Obviously, it didn’t work that way and those three guys got crucified,” Khawaja told Nine Newspapers.<\/p>\n
Bancroft played only two more Tests once he served his ban, and recently said he was no longer as motivated to return to the Test arena as he once was.<\/p>\n
![\"Cameron](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/f03545a1e765c6f1a83b305c1f1e4b7d.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Cameron Bancroft has been backed to let his bat do the talking. (Getty Images: Paul Kane)<\/p>\n
The 33-year-old put aside the distraction of Khawaja’s comments on Saturday to score 32 off 40 balls in Western Australia’s 92-run one-day loss to England at the WACA.<\/p>\n
After the match, WA coach Beau Casson praised Bancroft’s maturity in the face of renewed interest in the ball-tampering scandal.<\/p>\n
“He’s a grown man and a very mature guy,” Casson said.<\/p>\n
“I think he’s handled himself with distinction in that space. I don’t see it changing anytime soon.”<\/p>\n
Bancroft wasn’t made available to media on Saturday to talk about Khawaja’s comments, and it remains to be seen whether he will eventually address the latest revelations.<\/p>\n
“The situation was a long time ago,” Casson said.<\/p>\n
“He’s keen to move on and let his bat do the talking, and that’s what we promote him to do.”<\/p>\n
![\"Cameron](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/d8ae5284945fc29a00b6c3682c2b458c.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Cameron Bancroft scored a colossal 186 against South Australia in the most recent Sheffield Shield match. (Getty Images: Mark Brake)<\/p>\n
Cricket Australia says it remains comfortable with the past investigation of the incident, but left the door open for new information to be considered.<\/p>\n
Bancroft will be back in action when WA takes on Victoria in a Sheffield Shield match at the MCG, starting on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
“We’re just rapt to be able to have Cameron scoring runs for us,” Casson said.<\/p>\n
“Last week was a really good example of that [when he scored 186 in a Shield win against South Australia].<\/p>\n
“He leaves nothing to chance. He trains hard, not only technically but physically. If he’s not running miles, he’s thinking about cricket.<\/p>\n
“He’s a senior player within this group, and he certainly sets the example of how to go about it to be a professional cricketer.”<\/p>\n
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