England Vs South Africa: Graeme Smith Calls Kagiso Rabada's Ban Ridiculous

Former South Africa skipper Graeme Smith has come down hard on International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to ban fast-bowler Kagiso Rabada from the second Test against England.

The South African pacer, who already had three demerit points which he had picked after an altercation with Sri Lanka’s Niroshan Dickwella during an one-day international earlier this year, picked another point for using ‘inappropriate language’ towards England batsman Ben Stokes after dismissing the English allrounder on the opening day of the ongoing Test at Lord’s. A total of four demerit points means Rabada is automatically suspended for one game and the news was confirmed by ICC on Friday (July 7).

England Vs South Africa: Graeme Smith Calls Kagiso Rabada's Ban Ridiculous

However, the governing body’s decision has not gone down well with Smith who thinks Rabada did not give Stokes a sendoff but just vented his frustration. Smith also sounded annoyed over the fact that the ICC took action just because Rabada’s comment was picked up by the stump mic.

“It’s ridiculous,” Smith told ESPNcricinfo. “No-one wrote about it, no-one spoke about it. It was only because it was on the stump mic that it’s become a thing.”

The stump mic caught the right-arm pacer yelling “f*** off” after sending back Stokes. However, there was no reaction at all after Rabada used the derogatory words and Smith feels the whole matter could have been handled better.

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“It could have been handled better. I don’t think it was aimed at Ben Stokes. I just think it was out of frustration. If it wasn’t picked up by the stump mics he wouldn’t have been done,” Smith said.

Rabada, meanwhile, picked up 3 for 123 as England rode on skipper Joe Root’s brilliant 190 and half-centuries from Moeen Ali and Stuart Broad to post 458. In reply, South Africa were 214 for five after the second day’s play, still trailing England’s first-innings total by 244 runs.  Temba Bevuma (48) and Rabada (9) were at the crease.

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