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Traumatised Smith says he was 'thrown to wolves' over 'sandpapergate'

Steve Smith has revealed he continues to endure emotional distress and flashbacks following the 2018 ball-tampering incident in South Africa, which saw him stripped of the Australian captaincy and suspended for twelve months alongside David Warner, while Cameron Bancroft received a nine-month ban. Recalling the chaotic aftermath where he felt deserted while being swarmed by crowds at the airport in Johannesburg before his tearful apology in Sydney, the 37-year-old explained that camera flashes still trigger anxiety from that period.

The controversy, which drew severe criticism at the time from Australia's then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, led Smith to consciously block out memories of the tour.

Ahead of Australia's upcoming three-Test tour to South Africa—their first in the country since the controversy—Smith noted that hostile atmospheres have long been part of his career, including away Ashes fixtures in England and a white-ball visit to South Africa in 2020. Since returning to international cricket in 2019, he has re-established his place among the sport's elite batters, served as Test vice-captain starting with the 2021-22 Ashes following his two-year leadership ban, and stepped in to lead whenever has been sidelined.