'Don't think everyone would have known' - Lehmann denies Khawaja's claim

Speaking to ABC Grandstand on Sunday, Lehmann also confirmed he was not the coach who Khawaja has said Cameron Bancroft was speaking to shortly before the pictures emerged on the third day of the Newlands Test and that he had no recollection of Khawaja making a speech in the dressing room where he called on the team to take collective responsibility. Ultimately, only Bancroft, Steven Smith and David Warner were sanctioned followed a swift Cricket Australia (CA) investigation.

The incident has been thrust back into the spotlight ahead of the publication of Khawaja's autobiography, Sabr, on Tuesday after he gave an interview to Nine newspapers saying, "It was all of us", explaining why he was going public on the topic.

"I don't think everyone would have known," Lehmann told ABC, where he works now. "But you do know ball-tampering is going on because it's been happening for 150 years. So it's just how it's being done and how you would know to that extent, I suppose, and how the bowlers would know, how other players would know.

"So that's an individual case by case… on the players and I suppose they'll respond with their thoughts and what they know. I can't speak for them at all. I can only know what I know and I know that ball-tampering was a big part of the game of cricket. Now it's obsolete. But that doesn't make it right either, but that's the case, and we paid a heavy price for that. We paid a heavy price for that and we've just got to accept the consequences that came our way at the time and try and move forward with that."

Nine newspapers reported that Khawaja's book will include claims that sandpaper was discussed and used during the second Test at Gqeberha (then Port Elizabeth), the first time that allegation has been made. As with the broader topic of ball-tampering, Lehmann said there was a wider awareness of the impact reverse swing was having, but he did not know of specific conversations.

"No, no," Lehmann said when asked if he knew of the conversations. "But, again, there's conversations going on everywhere about lots of things in the game of cricket. That would be one for Smith and Khawaja to discuss. But for me, when you're in conversation about the game of cricket itself, you know reverse swing is happening. So it certainly was talked about how we're going to combat reverse swing. Because they were doing it very well, South Africa, and making the ball swing."

"No, I don't remember that," he said. "There was two changing rooms and there was meetings going on everywhere and to be perfectly honest, I was in meetings with Cricket Australia a lot as well. So there was plenty of moving pieces. So I can't remember that, but that could have been the case. I don't know. So I'm not saying yes or no to that one. He would have recollection of that and that's what it is from his point of view. There'll be different points of view everywhere, really, on this whole matter."

Lehmann was also unaware of a conversation between Bancroft and an as-yet-unnamed coach shortly before TV cameras showed the sandpaper. "Probably should have known about that conversation," he said. "But that conversation could have happened at any time. Did it happen? I don't know."

Lehmann, who coaches Northamptonshire, confirmed he was not contacted by Khawaja in advance of his claims being made public unlike captain Pat Cummins and Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg, who Khawaja reached out to, albeit it's understood with limited detail on what he would be writing. Lehmann admitted it was tough going back over that period of time, revealing he did not leave his house for four months.

"So, for me, it's a really touchy one mentally more than anything else," he said. "And I know the boys will be feeling that as well. Could he have said this at the time? I suppose that's one of the things in the book. I mean, books are there to sell, you know that's the case. He's retired, it is what it is. He's spoken to Pat Cummins apparently and the players. I haven't spoken to him, to be fair. He hasn't texted me or rang me. So that's just the way it is. It's no dramas.

"Again, all we can do is apologise for what happened and what transpired and you try and move on for the good of the game of cricket. Because no individual is bigger than the game of cricket.

"It just brings back really bad memories. It was a bad day in Australian cricket and again as we've said in the past and I've said in the past, [have] apologised to 26 million people. We let the country down on that day. I had to have a lot of help off-grid, if you like, and with people behind the scenes. And without that help, I don't know where I'd be. So I was thankful for that. It's not easy to talk about even now, and then you go back there, and I don't know any way else to say this, but it puts you back in a bad place. So hopefully I can just get through this, and we move forward again. But with the help of good people, that'll happen."

CA issued a statement backing their integrity process but as of Sunday evening, there had been no comment from any of the other players involved in the 2018 Test. Nathan Lyon is due to make a commercial appearance in Sydney on Tuesday while Mitchell Marsh, who was in the XI in Cape Town, will be expected to speak to the media in Perth on Thursday ahead of captaining in the ODI series against England.

It's understood that Khawaja has been in touch with Bancroft and has sent him a copy of the chapter on the ball-tampering.

Smith flew to New York at the end of recent South Africa tour where he was ruled out of the final Test at Newlands with a neck injury. He is expected to return in time to play for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield on November 22 ahead of the New Zealand series. Warner is currently playing cricket in Nepal.