South Africa's Faf du Plessis is very much surprised that neither Virat Kohli nor Steve Smith were punished by the ICC after the Bengaluru Test.
AFP
The incident took place in the 21st over of the Australia's second innings on Day Four when Smith was trapped LBW by pacer Umesh Yadav, a delivery that went underground and struck the former just above his left boot in front of middle stump. Having already blown a DRS call, involving David Warner, the Australians were in a fix on whether to seek another for Smith.
Smith looked for help from the dressing room when Kohli intervened. He went on to say that the Aussies had done it quite a lot.?
The ICC, however, confirmed that no charges were laid against Smith, India captain Kohli, or any other player under the ICC Code of Conduct. ICC Chief Executive David Richardson in a statement said, "We have just witnessed a magnificent game of Test cricket where players from both teams gave their all and emotions were running high during and after the match. We would encourage both teams to focus their energies on the third Test in Ranchi next week. Ahead of that, the match referee will bring both captains together to remind them of their responsibilities to the game."
AFP
Du Plessis believes that these actions were more serious than when he was accused of of shining the ball with the aid of an artificial substance three months ago, for which he was charged by the ICC.
"I was (surprised that no one was charged) purely from the reason of what I went through for something I feel was a lot smaller and a lot less... whatever you want to call it. So yes, surprised with that," he told ESPNcricinfo.
'It (the reaction from the ICC) was different. I am surprised by the way it happened. Maybe it's just because I speak on from a personal point of view and I felt that I was treated very harsh but when you see something like that you hope that it would be exactly the same," he added.
Does he make a valid point? Or is it just that he feels let down by his own punishment? No one knows for sure.
Time to move on everyone!