DUNEDIN, New Zealand: South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said Sunday he was surprised no one had been charged by the ICC after the ugly spat which blighted the Australia-India Test series.
“I was, yes. Purely from the reason of what I went through in Australia for something I feel was a lot smaller, so (am) surprised with it,” he said in Dunedin following the washed-out end to the first Test against New Zealand.
Du Plessis was fined his match fee during a Test against Australia in November for sucking on a mint and rubbing saliva into the ball.
ICC (International Cricket Council) chief executive David Richardson had described it as “an obvious breach” of the ball-tampering law.
However, the ICC decided not to take action against the warring India and Australia captains — Virat Kohli and Steve Smith — following cheating accusations during the second Test in Bangalore last week.
Kohli accused Smith of abusing the decision review system (DRS) after he was seen looking to the Australian dressing room for advice on whether to ask for a review after being given out lbw. Smith described his breach as a “brain-fade.”
Du Plessis has always denied ball tampering and said the reaction from the ICC was different to the way he was treated.
“Definitely it was different. I’m surprised by the way it happened,” he said.
“Maybe it’s because I speak on a personal point of view and felt I was treated very harsh. When you see something like that you’d hope it (the treatment) would be exactly the same.”
Du Plessis said it was very unlikely there would be a similar dust-up between the South African and New Zealand players.
“When you play teams like India and Australia obviously that can happen and it’s easy for something like that to blow up,” he said.
“For me, it’s just been good to be on the other side of it this time and see how things unfold.”
The first Test between New Zealand and South Africa ended in a draw when rain prevented any chance of play on the final day with South Africa 224 for six in their second innings, leading New Zealand by 191.
The second Test starts in Wellington on Thursday.
Du Plessis surprise at ICC over India spat
Du Plessis surprise at ICC over India spat
World No. 5 Elena Rybakina to headline strong field at 2026 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open
- The 2022 Wimbledon champion joins defending champion Belinda Bencic and Spanish favorite Paula Badosa for the event from Jan. 31 to Feb. 7
- Rising stars Victoria Mboko and Alexandra Eala continue breakthrough journeys at WTA 500 platform
ABU DHABI: One of the strongest fields in its history has been unveiled for this year’s Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion and world No. 5 Elena Rybakina will head an exciting line-up featuring Grand Slam winners, Olympic medalists and the sport’s most exciting rising stars when the WTA 500 tournament returns to the International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City, from Jan. 31 to Feb. 7.
The Kazakh powerhouse, who won the tournament in 2024, has established herself as one of the game’s elite competitors. Since her triumph at Wimbledon, she has reached the 2023 Australian Open final and secured multiple WTA 500 and 1000 titles, including the 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh where she brushed aside World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets.
“I really enjoyed my time in Abu Dhabi last year,” said Rybakina, who was defeated in the semi-finals by Bencic. “The city’s support for tennis is amazing, and reaching the semifinals was a solid way to begin 2025. This year, I’m coming back with the goal of going all the way again. The competition will be fierce, but that’s what makes it exciting.”
Rybakina will be joined by Belinda Bencic, who returns to defend her unbeaten record at the event. The Swiss Olympic gold medalist has lifted the trophy in both 2023 and 2025 and remains the only player never to have lost a match at the tournament.
Spanish favorite Paula Badosa adds further depth to the elite contingent. A former world No. 2 and Indian Wells champion, Badosa brings explosive power and fierce competitiveness to a field that promises compelling matches throughout the week.
The tournament’s commitment to the next generation is underlined by the confirmation of two of 2025’s most compelling breakthrough stars. Canadian sensation Victoria Mboko, who rocketed from outside the world’s top 300 at the start of 2025 to inside the top 20 following titles in Montreal and Hong Kong, continues her remarkable rise on the WTA Tour.
Joining her is Filipina star Alexandra Eala, who returns to Abu Dhabi following her 2024 debut. The 20-year-old former US Open girls’ champion has continued her steady climb through the rankings and remains the highest-ranked Filipino player in tour history.
Czech duo Barbora Krejcikova, a multiple Grand Slam champion in both singles and doubles, and Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, bring proven track records while American rising star Emma Navarro, Denmark’s Clara Tauson and Canada’s Leylah Fernandez — the 2023 French Open finalist — add further depth to an already formidable lineup.
The field also features former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, who captured the 2025 doubles title in Abu Dhabi alongside Ellen Perez. Chinese star Qinwen Zheng, Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska and 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin round out a top 20 that promises world-class tennis from the opening qualifiers through to the championship weekend.
Further elite talent includes Ekaterina Alexandrova and Liudmila Samsonova, Belgium’s Elise Mertens, Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia, American McCartney Kessler and Australian Maya Joint.
Nigel Gupta, MARI tournament director, said: “The 2026 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open field represents everything this tournament has become — a compelling blend of Grand Slam champions, Olympic medalists and the sport’s most exciting emerging talent. Elena Rybakina’s arrival as our top seed adds tremendous star power, while Belinda’s pursuit of a third title and the inclusion of breakthrough stars like Victoria Mboko and Alexandra Eala demonstrate our commitment to showcasing both today’s champions and tomorrow’s legends. This is shaping up to be our strongest edition yet.”
