‘You did nothing wrong’: Faf du Plessis reveals message to Steve Smith during Sandpapergate

Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has revealed he privately messaged Steve Smith during the 2018 ball-tampering scandal known as Sandpapergate, telling Smith 'you did nothing wrong' and questioning why he accepted blame for the incident. Du Plessis drew on his own experience of facing a similar ball-tampering charge in 2016 to empathize with Smith's situation under intense media scrutiny. The gesture of support helped forge a strong mutual bond of respect between the two international cricket captains.