Mark Boucher, South Africa's former wicketkeeper, has called on the ICC to think about "what's important to the game and what isn't" when they sanction players for breaching the code of conduct. Boucher was referencing the discrepancies in the sanctions handed out to Faf du Plessis and David Warner during the ongoing series.

In SuperSport's television build-up to the third Test match in Cape Town, Boucher said the ICC should "get its ducks in a row," when it comes to applying discipline.

David Warner was fined 15% of his match fee for making what match referee Roshan Mahanama called "disrespectful," comments which "publicly denigrated an opponent," when he suggested to an Australian radio station that South Africa had achieved reverse swing in Port Elizabeth through dubious means.

Contrastingly, Faf du Plessis had to hand over 50% of his match fee for a second clothing violation within the last 12 months. Du Plessis took to the field in Port Elizabeth with green shoelaces instead of the white ones which are stipulated as the acceptable gear for Test matches. In November 2013, du Plessis wore shoes with a red tongue instead of a white one.

Both those are in contravention with clause 2.1.1 of the ICC's code of conduct for players and player support personnel. Because they occurred within a 12-month period, the minimum fine of half the player's match fee, was imposed. Boucher said he thought du Plessis' offence was not in the same vein as Warner's and he could not understand why the South African was so harshly punished.