Ahead of the three-match T20I series against Australia, South Africa skipper Quinton de Kock on Thursday said that the series can witness the reignition of fierceness among both teams.
"If something ignites, maybe if a player decides to take on another player, then maybe the fierceness from both teams will reignite again. Who knows? Maybe not. Maybe we just play the game hard but not with you know," ESPN Cricinfo quoted de Kock as saying.
During the series between both teams in 2018, de Kock was the catalyst for the "you know" reference as he said something to Warner as they walked off the field for tea during a Test match at Durban.
The match saw some fierce exchanges between Warner and de Kock, and they almost clashed inside the dressing room. After the game concluded, players from Australian camp said it was personal and the South African crowd believed it had to do with Warner's wife, Candice, and a previous liaison.
"We haven't really had any conversations. I and he have moved on from there. We look to just play cricket. We both love to play the game really hard. I don't think anything will happen. We will just carry on. We won't worry too much about it," de Kock said.
Australia has not played a T20 international since November and this is the side's first tour back to South Africa since the ball-tampering scandal in 2018.
In 2018, Warner, Smith, and Cameron Bancroft were involved in ball-tampering in the Cape Town Test and as a result, the trio was suspended by Cricket Australia for one year.
South Africa will take on Australia in three T20Is and as many ODIs. The first T20I will be played on Friday, February 21.
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