“One thing you don’t do is cheat” - Former Australia coach brings sandpaper controversy back into spotlight

Former Australia coach brings sandpaper controversy back into spotlight. Read the article to know more about the player.

Justin Langer (Image Credit: Cricket Australia)

The ball-tampering incident in Cape Town in 2018 would represent a low point for Australian cricket. In the third Test against South Africa, Cameron Bancroft was caught trying to change the state of the ball with sandpaper leading to a deluge of media relativism, public backlash, and serious questioning of Australian culture. Fans felt betrayed and the integrity of the game was under fire throughout the world.

The consequences of the ball tampering were swift and severe; Steve Smith and David Warner received a one-year suspension, while Bancroft received a nine-month suspension. Darren Lehmann resigned as coach. The Chairman of Cricket Australia, CEO and high performance manager all were required to resign.

Justin Langer reopens the wounds

Seven years later, former Australia head coach Justin Langer reflected on the fallout and the lessons learned. Speaking on the 'For the Love of Cricket' podcast, he said, “In Australia, one thing you don’t do is cheat. You play hard, you go hard, and you compete, but you don’t cheat. And the boys cheated. The whole of Australia really turned against them, and the ramifications were huge. We lost the chairman, the CEO, the high-performance manager, the head coach Darren Lehmann stepped down, and the captain and vice-captain were gone.”

Langer said that leadership is crucial in any team. “In cultures, and in life generally, I believe leadership is the number one aspect of performance. And when that left, the focus shifted to what culture really means, behaviours, expectations, and how we had to turn all of that around,” he added.

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Under his tenure, Langer helped rebuild the team’s reputation, restore trust with fans, and achieve key successes including a 4-0 Ashes series victory and Australia’s first T20 World Cup win in 2021. While the scars of Sandpaper Gate remain, his statement shows how bad that phase was for the entire Australian cricket team.

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