"Listen, I Will Never Touch A Cricket Ball Again Because It's Not Something I Want To Go Through Again" - Former South Africa Skipper Faf Du Plessis

Former South African captain Faf du Plessis was accused of ball-tampering during a Test against Pakistan in Dubai in 2013. He was charged for changing the condition of the ball by using a foreign object. He was penalized 50% of his match fee for rubbing the ball on the zip of his trouser pocket.

In the aftermath of that incident, the 38-year-old revealed that he swore off touching the ball for several years. He also revealed that every time the ball was tossed to him on the pitch, he felt self-conscious.

I Went Through A Very Tough Time Around – Faf Du Plessis

“I went through a very tough time around what happened in Dubai against Pakistan to the point where I also had to say, ‘Listen, I will never touch a cricket ball again because it’s not something I want to go through again’. So, there was a period where the ball came to me and I was like ‘no’ and I’d just get rid of it, because you’re so aware of that. If you make a mistake, I don’t judge anyone who goes through that,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Faf du Plessis as saying.

Didn’t Get Even Close To The Penalty That Smith, Bancroft And Warner Got – Faf Du Plessis

Faf du Plessis has backed David Warner to lead Australia and asked for his captaincy ban to be revoked. The 36-year-old and then-Australia skipper Steve Smith were handed a one-year ban by Cricket Australia, and it was also said that Warner would never be able to lead Australia. This comes after the infamous sandpaper-gate ball-tampering scandal during the 2018 Cape Town Test between South Africa and Australia.

“I never throw stones – I point the finger back at myself probably harder than I do at anyone else, and I’m no glass house. So I think Davey has certainly done his time, he’s served a very, very hard penalty that a lot of guys, myself included, doing things wrong as well, didn’t get even close to the penalty that Smith, Bancroft and Warner got,” he said.

“In terms of would he be able to be let back into, do it? Yes. I’ve certainly seen him in the IPL being captain of one of the franchises there and having a successful campaign,” he added.