Former Australian fast bowler Chadd Sayers has claimed that every member of the 2018 Australian Test squad knew about the plan to use sandpaper on the ball during the tour of South Africa.

Notably, Sayers served as the team's 12th man during the controversial matches before making his sole Test appearance in the final game of that series.

His remarks back up recent revelations from Usman Khawaja's newly-released autobiography, Sabr, and directly contradict denials made by current Australian Test captain Pat Cummins.

“I think I've probably been portrayed in the media as taking Usman's side because I've spoken out and acknowledged that that was probably the truth. But I'm neutral in all this. I'm just trying to tell my side of the story and what I believe happened," Sayers told SEN Radio.

“There are no sides; they've both been great to me throughout my time in the Test squad, so I'm not taking sides. I'm neutral in all this. I'm comfortable sitting here right now and where I stand on the situation that I believe that everyone in that side knew what was going on and what was being used,” he added.

Corroborating Khawaja's account, Sayers confirmed that sandpaper was first discussed and used during the second Test in Port Elizabeth, prior to the infamous third Test in Cape Town. He revealed Bancroft himself volunteered to tamper the ball.

“In Port Elizabeth, so as it's known now, it was used in two test matches, and there were discussions in the change rooms of how we were going to get the ball to reverse and what was going to be used. I mean, it is eight years ago, so my recollection isn't as clear as it was obviously eight years ago. I just know that there was numerous conversations of it around in the change rooms," Sayers stated.

“Obviously David Warner was not going to do it. Cam Bancroft stepped in and said he would. I think we all know David Warner was seen as being the bad boy of the Australian cricket side at that stage and cameras were always going to be on him so he was not going to take part in it. The plan was that Cameron Bancroft was going to take that out, the ball was going to be dropped on the ground by the umpires and he was going to go about business," he remarked.

Sayers disputed Cummins' claim that no team meeting took place to discuss taking collective responsibility. He recalled the squad sitting in the Cape Town change rooms for 60-90 minutes after play to discuss the fallout and next steps.

“Yes, after the occurrence in Cape Town, we all sat in the change rooms after that day's play and probably for 60 to 90 minutes. We talked about what had happened, and I guess where to next," he said.

Sayers revealed that despite being told to remain near the team hotel for inquiries, he was never interviewed by Cricket Australia during their 2018 investigation.

“We were told pretty much not to go too far away from the hotel. We had a family period then so my wife was over there and we got told pretty much to stay around because there'll be interviews and an investigation happening,” he said.

“Obviously didn't go too far away, and was never interviewed. Maybe because we were 12th man and we didn't play in the game. Maybe because we knew too much information. I'm not too sure," he added.

While insisting he is neutral and not taking sides, Chadd Sayers criticized Cummins' Friday press conference, saying he did not like how the captain "got personal" while dismissing Khawaja's claims.

“To be honest, I didn't watch much of it. I saw him rock up and start talking and it just felt a bit awkward, and yeah, I just didn't want to see that. I didn't like how he did go at Usman and got personal I probably get why, but I just don't think it needed to happen," said Sayers.

The controversy resurfaced last week following extracts from Khawaja's autobiography, in which he wrote that "all of us"—batters, bowlers, and staff—knew about the ball-tampering plot.

In a lengthy press conference, Cummins labeled Khawaja's allegations "complete and utter nonsense" and "100% wrong". Cummins, alongside fellow bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon, has consistently maintained that the bowling group had no prior knowledge of the sandpaper.