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Cape Town - Dale Steyn believes the threat of being banned is keeping Proteas speedster Kagiso Rabada quiet in the Test series against Australia.
The first Test at Kingsmead saw a lot of niggle out in the middle, with both sides having engaged in a fair amount of sledging.
There was also Nathan Lyon dropping the ball on AB de Villiers after running him out and the explosive video from tea on day four that showed David Warner confronting Quinton de Kock.
There has certainly been a lot of heat between the sides so far in the series, but one man who is watching his every step is Rabada.
Banned for the second Test against England in July last year, Rabada is currently on five demerit points and just three away from another ban, this time for two Tests.
Steyn believes that the threat of that ban is keeping Rabada quiet on the field.
"One other guy that actually gets involved is KG (Rabada) - he really does get stuck in," Steyn told Cape Town radio station Kfm.
"But I think after some of his last few incidents where he got into trouble - he got a ban and a fine and everything like that - he kind of has the handcuffs around him right now, which is a little unfair because if you look at the way some of the Aussies are going about it - and I'm not standing here and complaining, and I hope I don't get a fine for saying that - but you kind of feel that you are taking out our best competitor, especially with that kind of presence.
"If you take him out of the game, it's like taking a knife to a gunfight really. It's a little bit unfair."
