Drama behind 2018 Sandpaper Scandal: What happened to the careers of Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft?

In March 2018, a shocking cricket scandal erupted when cameras caught Cameron Bancroft using sandpaper on the ball during a Test match in South Africa. What followed was a fierce backlash, strict bans, and long reckonings for Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.

How the scandal changed their careers forever?

The shocking incident exposed a scheme that implicated Smith and Warner, who were accused of planning or approving the tampering.  Soon after, Cricket Australia issued strict punishments: Smith and Warner were banned for 12 months from all international and domestic cricket, and Bancroft was suspended for 9 months.  

Exclusive: Bancroft reveals Warner’s role in ball-tampering scandal

Story: https://t.co/CxSrnvomj5 pic.twitter.com/9z0X1mbAwC

— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 25, 2018

Beyond playing bans, Smith was barred from leadership roles for two years, and Warner was given a permanent leadership ban then.  Bancroft also got a year’s additional restriction from leadership roles beyond his active ban period.  The scandal damaged their endorsements and IPL contracts: Smith and Warner lost deals worth 2.4 million Australian dollars and were removed from the 2018 IPL. Bancroft’s overseas agreements, like with Somerset, were also cancelled.  

After the bans ended, Bancroft returned to domestic cricket by late 2018.  Smith and Warner resumed international play in 2019 and went on to rebuild form and reputation.  Over time, Smith even regained selective captaincy in Tests and ODIs.  

But Warner remained barred from leadership until recent changes reopened that door.  Throughout, Bancroft has publicly expressed regret over the scandal and acknowledged how deeply it scarred his cricketing identity. 

Lifting David Warner’s ban brings debates and hope

A significant turn came in October 2024 when Cricket Australia revoked Warner’s lifetime leadership ban, after a three-member independent panel judged he had met the criteria for reconsideration.  That decision opened paths for Warner to captain in domestic leagues and take roles in coaching or administration.  

Even though Warner had officially retired from international cricket earlier that year, the change restores his eligibility in off-field leadership.  Meanwhile, Smith’s leadership ban ended quietly in 2020, enabling him later to lead in Tests and ODIs. Some observers say the decision to lift Warner’s ban signals that redemption remains possible in cricket culture, though the stain of “sandpapergate” still lingers in public memory.  

The saga of what happened to Smith, Warner, and Bancroft serves as a lasting warning: even top stars can face steep consequences, yet return depends on accountability, resilience and public trust.