NEW DELHI: Steve Smith admitted that memories of the 2018 ball-tampering scandal still return to him at times, but the Australia batter is not worried about facing a hostile reception when he returns to South Africa for a Test series.Smith was one of the central figures in the controversy during Australia’s Test against South Africa in Cape Town in March 2018. He was sent home, suspended for 12 months and removed as Australia captain after admitting his involvement in a plan to change the condition of the ball using sandpaper.David Warner was also banned for a year and removed from leadership roles, while Cameron Bancroft received a nine-month suspension.Almost eight years later, Smith is set to return to South Africa with Australia for a three-Test series, starting in Durban on October 9.
‘That was a traumatic experience in my life’
The 37-year-old said the events surrounding his suspension are still difficult to completely forget. He particularly remembers the intense media attention he faced after leaving South Africa.“I’m not a big fan of cameras…I get anxious around cameras, to be honest. That was a traumatic experience in my life, and when I hear the flash of a camera, it makes me revisit that in a way,” Smith told News Corp in an interview.“The 24-48 hours of being told by James Sutherland that I was getting banned for a year. That and going through the airport in Johannesburg getting absolutely mobbed, and then flying back and doing that press conference. I still have little flashbacks here and there of it,” he added.
Australia tour of South Africa 2026: Full schedule
| Date | Match | Venue | Match start (IST) | Local time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 24, 2026 | 1st ODI | Kingsmead, Durban | 1:30 PM | 10:00 AM |
| September 27, 2026 | 2nd ODI | The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg | 1:30 PM | 10:00 AM |
| September 30, 2026 | 3rd ODI | Senwes Park, Potchefstroom | 5:00 PM | 1:30 PM |
| October 9, 2026 | 1st Test | Kingsmead, Durban | 1:00 PM | 9:30 AM |
| October 18, 2026 | 2nd Test | St George’s Park, Gqeberha | 1:30 PM | 10:00 AM |
| October 27, 2026 | 3rd Test | Newlands, Cape Town | 1:30 PM | 10:00 AM |
‘The mental state I was in was not great’
Smith said the initial days after the scandal were particularly difficult. He also said the experience taught him important lessons and helped him move forward.“It was certainly a difficult period, particularly the initial period a few days after. The mental state I was in was not great. That’s somewhere I’d like not to get to again, but I certainly learned from that and have been able to move forward with my life,” he said.Australia’s upcoming series will be the team’s first Test assignment in South Africa since the 2018 series. The two teams last met in a Test match in last year’s World Test Championship final at Lord’s.