Faf du Plessis assures not to sledge Aussies over ball-tampering row

The Proteas are set to face Australia for the one-dayers in Perth, Adelaide and Hobart, and a single Twenty20 clash on the Gold Coast

Australia and South Africa are slated to face each other on the cricket field almost eight months after infamous sandpaper gate. The 3-match ODI series is a great chance for Australia to move on from a horrifying chapter, which began with the tampering row and continued with some grim results on the road.

Since the Proteas will be playing the Aussies in their backyard, skipper Faf du Plessis has assured that they are not going to taunt the hosts over the ball-tampering incident and insisted his team won't dredge up the past.

“I don't think us as a team would go there. It's got nothing to do with the cricket — it's in the past. For us, it's business as usual,” Du Plessis said during a presser.

History of ball tampering with the Aussies and Proteas

In March 2018, the trio of Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were found guilty of tampering the ball during the third day of the Cape Town Test. As a result, Smith and Warner were slapped with a year-ban while Bancroft faced a 9-month restriction.

When South Africa toured Australia in 2016, du Plessis was fined for ball-tampering after he sucked on a mint and then shined the ball. He disputed the finding.

Current team scenarios

The Proteas have brought virtually their strongest team to Australia for the one-dayers in Perth, Adelaide and Hobart, and a single Twenty20 clash on the Gold Coast. While missing Hashim Amla (finger) and JP Duminy (shoulder) for the tour, fast bowler Dale Steyn is back and joins Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Imran Tahir in a formidable attack.

All-rounder Chris Morris also returns after recovering from a lower back injury, although South Africa's tour didn't start well with a four-wicket loss to a young Prime Minister's XI in Canberra on Wednesday.

On the other hand, Australia have dumped Tim Paine as one-day captain, with explosive batsman Aaron Finch assuming the role after recent failures. Spin veteran Lyon has also been axed, along with all-rounder Mitch Marsh.

But fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins return from injury to spearhead the attack alongside Josh Hazlewood.

SQUADS:

Australia: Aaron Finch (capt), Josh Hazlewood, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, D'Arcy Short, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

South Africa: Faf du Plessis (capt), Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Imran Tahir, Heinrich Klaasen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Chris Morris, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn.