“If it wasn’t picked up by the stump mics he wouldn’t have been done”

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith has expressed his frustration towards the suspension given to Proteas pace bowler Kagiso Rabada.

Rabada was banned for the second Test against England, which will begin on July 14 in Nottingham, after he told England all-rounder Ben Stokes to “f**k off” after dismissing him on the opening day of the first Test at Lord’s.

Rabada was fined 15 per cent of his match fee and handed a demerit point, which was his fourth this year, and was subsequently suspended for one Test.

However, Smith believes that if the stump mic hadn’t picked up what Rabada said, no action would have been taken against the 22-year-old.

“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.”

Smith added that what Rabada said shouldn’t have led to him getting a demerit point.

“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 on Test Match Special.