Steve Smith returns to South Africa: Between the deed and the redemption falls the shadow
This article examines the legacy of Steve Smith and the Australian cricket team following the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. It critiques the team's 'win-at-all-costs' culture and questions whether Smith's subsequent performance reflects genuine redemption or continued self-obsession.
Why it matters
It highlights the intersection of professional sports ethics, institutional accountability, and the public perception of athlete redemption arcs.
So Steve Smith was ‘traumatised’ at the reaction to his act of cheating in a Test match. Australia are in South Africa for their first Test series after the incident known as ‘sandpapergate’. On their last tour in 2018 Smith was captain and had a role in using sandpaper to tamper with the ball in violation of the laws of the game.
Smith’s vice-captain David Warner was banned too; there has been an interesting narrative since. When Smith returned to the crease post-ban, he made 144 and 142 in the Edgbaston Test despite relentless booing and hostility from the English crowd. He finished with 774 runs in the series, a tale of guts and gumption. Was it the start or the end of redemption?
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