Australia return to South Africa for a Test series, the first since the 2018 ball-tampering scandal known as 'Sandpapergate'. The incident occurred during the third Test in Cape Town when Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera using sandpaper to rough up one side of the ball. Steve Smith and David Warner admitted to ball-tampering, with Smith claiming the plan originated from the 'leadership group'.
Both were stripped of their roles, with Tim Paine taking over as captain. Australia suffered a 322-run defeat, followed by a 492-run loss in the next Test, resulting in a 3-1 series loss. Smith, Warner, and Bancroft were banned for 12, 12, and 9 months respectively.
Warner was deemed the leader of the plot and barred from future leadership roles. Both Smith and Warner were also removed from the 2018 IPL, where they were set to captain Rajasthan Royals and Sun Raisers Hyderabad.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing