Suspended Australia batsman and a former skipper Steve Smith has reached Jaipur on Sunday to join his IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals ahead of the 12the edition of the Indian Premier League. Smith was suspended by Cricket Australia for a year owing to his involvement in the infamous ball-tampering saga last March. Steve Smith along with David Warner missed the IPL last year owing to their involvement in the ball tampering scandal. However, they are all set to take a fresh guard this time around.
The former Australian skipper is currently recovering from an injury. He was also seen training with the Australian national team in Dubai before flying to India. Smith’s teammates are in UAE for the bilateral ODI series against Pakistan. Meanwhile, The Rajasthan Royals team management is quite confident of Smith’s success in the IPL this time around.
Former Rajasthan Royals skipper cum coach and currently their brand ambassador, Shane Warne stated that Steve Smith’s presence in the Rajasthan squad will surely boost their confidence. Warne feels that barring a few players like Kane Williamson, AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli, Steve Smith is definitely one of the finest batsmen in the world.
Steve Smith is class says Shane Warne
“Oh, Smith is class! There is not too many class players like him around. There is only a handful. Kane Williamson, AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli. There are not too many more (who define) class. He is going to enhance any side he plays for,” Warne said.
Meanwhile, Smith will be attending Rajasthan Royals camp at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur on Sunday. On the other hand, David Warner who was also suspended from IPL last year for ball-tampering scandal also joined Sunrisers Hyderabad squad on Saturday.
The 12th edition of the cash-rich event starts from 23rd match with MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli squaring off against each other in a high voltage clash. The IPL will also serve as a preparatory tournament for the ICC World Cup which will be played in England and Wales in a couple of month’s time. However, players from all the major nations have to make sure that their players manage their workload. Or else they might be found wanting and looking for replacements during the quadrennial event.