Marsh refuses to revisit sandpapergate ahead of England ODI series

Mitchell Marsh stepped in front of the media in Perth on November 12, 2026, ahead of Australia’s first ODI against England at Perth Stadium, and made clear he had no intention of revisiting the 2018 ball-tampering episode in South Africa. With regular ODI captain Pat Cummins absent from the series, Marsh is leading the side and said his attention was fixed entirely on the cricket ahead.

The renewed scrutiny around ‘Sandpapergate’ had been fuelled mainly by Usman Khawaja‘s recently published autobiography, ‘Sabr’, which contains claims about the 2018 incident in South Africa. Marsh confirmed he had spoken to Khawaja ahead of the book’s release, though he declined to elaborate on the substance of those conversations. Marsh also acknowledged that some fans would expect him to address the situation, but he maintained that the timing was not right for him to do so.

“There’s obviously been a lot of noise around this week, and I respect that certain people have told their stories, but I’m not here to share mine today. I know that might sound weird, but it’s a big week for us, and it’s an important time for this one-day group, and my sole focus has been on preparing for tomorrow. It was a really tough time for Australian cricket. I know there’s still a lot of people hurting. But now is not the time for me to share my story,” Marsh said, as quoted by Cricinfo.

Why did Marsh decline to discuss his recollections?

Marsh was asked specifically why he had not signed the 2021 statement issued by four frontline bowlers in response to Cameron Bancroft‘s interview, in which Bancroft had spoken about the events in South Africa. The question placed Marsh in a difficult position as the current captain of the Australian side.

“And as I’ve stated, I’m not really keen to go back into my recollections of any of the times throughout that period,” Marsh said.

Marsh said he had ‘personally moved on,’ and that while he understood the public interest, he did not feel it was his place at this moment to share his version of the events. He acknowledged that he was aware of sandpaper being used to tamper with balls during that series, but stopped short of adding any further detail beyond that admission.

A separate media event is scheduled in Sydney on November 14, 2026, where Pat Cummins is expected to address the matter. Cummins is not part of the ODI squad, having been rested alongside Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood for this series.

What is the context for the Australia versus England ODI series?

Marsh is leading Australia in both the ODI and T20I formats against England, with the first ODI scheduled for November 13, 2026, at Perth Stadium. The series carries added significance as preparation for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, to be held across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in 2027.

The absence of Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood has opened the door for several younger players to press their claims in a format where Australia will be looking to finalise combinations ahead of that tournament. Marsh’s role as captain in this context means his words and conduct at press conferences carry additional weight, which made his refusal to engage with the sandpapergate questions all the more notable.