‘You did nothing wrong’: Faf reveals message to Steve Smith during Sandpapergate

Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has recalled reaching out to Steve Smith during the 2018 Cape Town ball-tampering controversy, questioning why the Australian had taken responsibility for the incident while expressing solidarity with a rival who had previously stood by him during his own ball-tampering scandal.Speaking on Cricinfo’s Cricketers on Cricketers, du Plessis said Smith’s response to the controversy had reminded him of the media storm he faced in 2016, when he was accused of using residue from a sweet to alter the condition of the ball during a Test against Australia in Hobart.Smith, Australia's captain at the time, was at the centre of a major controversy during the 2018 tour of South Africa after Cameron Bancroft was caught attempting to alter the ball's condition with sandpaper in the Cape Town Test.