Dale Steyn believes the demerit points hanging over Kagiso Rabada has handicapped South Africa's ability to be as noisy in the field as Australia. In an interview with South African radio station Kfm, Steyn said it was like "taking a knife to a gunfight", and has been a "little bit unfair" on South Africa.
Rabada has five demerit points to his name and has already been banned for a Test - the second Test against England last July - and if he collects three more he will be suspended for a minimum of two Tests, something neither he nor South Africa would want to risk. He has not had much verbal presence on the field, especially not compared to Australia, who have talked so much they even tried to get the stump mics turned off by mentioning rival sponsors' names. Australia's aggression did not even stop on the field. On the fourth day, David Warner had to be physically restrained by team-mates in the stairwell leading up to the changeroom and CCTV footage showed him shouting at Quinton de Kock.
Rabada has five demerit points to his name and has already been banned for a Test - the second Test against England last July - and if he collects three more he will be suspended for a minimum of two Tests, something neither he nor South Africa would want to risk. He has not had much verbal presence on the field, especially not compared to Australia, who have talked so much they even tried to get the stump mics turned off by mentioning rival sponsors' names. Australia's aggression did not even stop on the field. On the fourth day, David Warner had to be physically restrained by team-mates in the stairwell leading up to the changeroom and CCTV footage showed him shouting at Quinton de Kock.