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Who can replace Rabada?
The ICC’s code of conduct has come under scathing criticism from former South Africa captain Graeme Smith who disagreed strongly with the suspension of fast bowler Kagiso Rabada from the Trent Bridge Test.
Rabada earned one demerit point for swearing at Ben Stokes on top of three he already had for a shove on Sri Lanka’s Niroshan Dickwella in an ODI in January. Smith understood the sanction was based on collective, not isolated incidents, he did not think the expletive uttered by Rabada and picked up on the stump mic should have been punished that harshly.
“It’s ridiculous,” Smith told ESPNcricinfo. “No-one wrote about it, no-one spoke about it. It was only because it was on the stump mic that it’s become a thing.”
The incident occurred on the opening day of the first Test at Lord’s when Rabada dismissed Stokes and told him to “f*** off” something Smith thought was not serious enough to earn Rabada another demerit point.
“It could have been handled better. I don’t think it was aimed at Ben Stokes. I just think it was out of frustration. If it wasn’t picked up by the stump mics he wouldn’t have been done,” Smith said on Test Match Special.
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa correspondent
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo