Rabada and Smith Renew Rivalry as South Africa and Australia Prepare for Cape Town Decider

South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada and Australian batter Steve Smith have renewed their on-field rivalry ahead of next week’s decisive third Test in Cape Town, recalling the heated encounters between the pair during Australia’s previous Test tour of South Africa in 2018.

Rabada returned from a lengthy hamstring injury layoff to help South Africa defeat Australia by an innings and 31 runs in the second Test at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Thursday. The victory levelled the three-match series and set up a winner-takes-all contest at Newlands, starting next Tuesday.

Rabada claimed four wickets in Australia’s second innings, including the dismissal of Smith, who reached the milestone of 11,000 Test runs during the match. The 37-year-old, however, managed only three runs in the second innings after attempting an ill-judged hook shot against a bouncer. He top-edged the delivery to a fielder at midwicket as Australia struggled to avoid defeat.

Smith also appeared to be affected by a neck complaint, with his decision to play the attacking shot coming unusually early in his innings.

“He wasn’t 100 percent fit in the game but we knew he had the ability to knuckle down and be the anchor for them; he’s done it for so long for Australia,” Rabada said in a television interview.

“He’s a top-class player and you can put a lot more pressure on a team when you get their best player out, so he’ll always be a prized wicket playing against Australia.”

The dismissal brought back memories of the 2018 series, when Rabada also removed Smith at St George’s Park. Rabada took 11 wickets in that Test but was involved in a confrontation with the Australian batter while celebrating the dismissal. He initially received a two-match suspension, which was later reduced to a fine.

The incident formed part of a turbulent series that culminated in the ball-tampering scandal known as “Sandpapergate”. Smith was subsequently stripped of Australia’s captaincy and banned for 12 months by Cricket Australia.

Rabada said there was no lingering hostility between the players, describing their clashes as a product of competitive intensity.

“As an athlete you want to go out and express yourself. There’s no hate off the field or anything like that,” he said. “It’s a bunch of top-performing athletes who’ve got testosterone to burn. It’s the heat of the moment.”

Smith has since returned to Newlands for a Twenty20 international, but next week’s match will be his first Test at the venue since the 2018 series.

Last month, Smith told Sydney’s Daily Telegraph that the scandal had been a difficult experience, particularly in its immediate aftermath. He said his mental state had suffered but that he had learned from the episode and moved forward.

With the series tied, the final Test offers both teams a chance to claim the series and gives Rabada and Smith another opportunity to renew their contest on one of South Africa’s most prominent cricket stages.