The start of the fourth day of the already infamous Cape Town Test saw Steven Smith and David Warner stepping down from their coveted positions in the team.
Tim Paine got appointed as the stand-in captain for Australia for the remainder of the Test match.
However, the reason for the rash move was powered by the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) who ordered Smith and his deputy David Warner stand-down with immediate effect.
Ongoing series between Australia and South Africa got marred by controversies throughout.
It reached a peak last night at Cape Town after Steven Smith conceded to pre-meditating to cheat and bring Australian cricket into disrepute.
“Given the admission by Australian captain Steve Smith, the ASC calls for him to be stood down immediately by Cricket Australia. along with any other members of the team leadership group or coaching staff who had prior awareness of, or involvement in, the plan to tamper with the ball,” suggested ASC’s press release according to TOI.
The ASC condemns cheating of any form in sports
“The ASC condemns cheating of any form in sport. The ASC expects and requires that Australian teams and athletes demonstrate unimpeachable integrity in representing our country,” added the release.
Apart from the ASC, Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Turnbull, also condemned Smith’s action and expressed his shock with his disappointment.
“Australian cricket team are iconic representatives of our country. examples they set matters a great deal to Australia and to the thousands of young Australians playing or enjoying cricket. and Those who look up to the national team as role models,” mentioned Turnbull according to News.co.au.
In recent developments from the IPL, Rajasthan Royals, who retained Steven Smith before the auctions this year, decided to sack him from the captaincy role for the upcoming edition.
“I have to say that the whole nation which holds those who wear the ‘baggy green’ up on a pedestal about as high as you can get in Australia. certainly higher than any politician that’s for sure. this is a shocking disappointment,” concluded PM of Australia.
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