Australia to return to South Africa for Test series eight years after ball-tampering ‘sandpapergate’ scandal

3 min readFeb 23, 2026 05:48 PM Australia will travel to South Africa for a three-match Test series for the first time since the infamous 2018 tour that was marred the “sandpapergate” scandal.
The Kangaroos will play a three-match ODI series against the Proteas in Durban, Johannesburg and Potchefstroom in September 2026 before the Pat Cummins-led Test team takes on the reigning World Test Championship winners in a three-match Test series that will be played in Durban, Gqeberha and will conclude in Newlands, the site of the 2018 ball-tampering scandal that shook Australian cricket to its core.
Australia have played a T20I in Cape Town in 2020, but this will be their first Test series in South Africa in eight years.
What happened in the Sandpapergate scandal in 2018?
The infamous series in 2018 was when the Australian team was caught cheating during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town. Australian players were caught in the act while tampering with the ball using sandpaper. Aussie batter Cameron Bancroft was caught tampering with the ball rubbing it with sandpaper during South Africa’s second innings.
Later, Bancroft admitted he attempted to change the shape and condition of the ball with the help of sandpaper. Australia’s then-captain, Steve Smith, later also admitted to having knowledge of it.
In the aftermath, Smith was stripped of his captaincy while David Warner had to step down as vice-captain. Smith and Warner were both given 12-month bans from international and domestic cricket Cricket Australia, while Bancroft was handed a nine-month suspension. Warner was also deemed to be the orchestrator of the incident, showing Bancroft how to apply the sandpaper to the ball in order to change its condition. Smith’s suspension was for not taking steps to prevent the incident, having had knowledge of it.
Both Smith and Warner earned their places back in the Australia team before Warner retired from international cricket in 2024.Story continues below this ad
Australia’s coach at the time, Darren Lehmann, also stepped down from his role at the end of that series. However, Lehmann was later cleared of any wrongdoing in CA’s review.
AUS tour of South Africa
ODI Series

First ODI: September 24, Kingsmead Stadium, Durban
Second ODI: September 27, Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
Third ODI: September 30, JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom (D/N)

Warmup Match

October 3-4, JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom

Test Series

First Test: October 9-13, Kingsmead Stadium, Durban
Second Test: October 18-22, St George’s Park, Gqeberha
Third Test: October 27-31, Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town