In a fall out of the ball-tampering controversy of the Australia-South Africa Cape Town Test match, Rajasthan Royals on Monday replaced its ‘Golden Boy’ Steve Smith as team captain for the upcoming IPL and appointed Ajinkya Rahane instead.
Although a statement by Rajasthan Royals didn’t say if Smith will play as an ordinary player at all, it is more or less a foregone conclusion that he will not be part of the IPL, as his home national has initiated an inquiry into the ball tampering affair. “We await that decision [of the possibility of Smith playing as a player] from the governing bodies,” someone associated with the Royals told Outlook.
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It was only natural for Smith to be replaced by the Royals -- and it was a matter of time before the IPL franchisee announced that decision – as Cricket Australia (CA) had on Sunday sacked him as national captain midway during the third Test, following his hand in the ball tampering by Cameron Bancroft. So, after losing national captaincy it was only natural that he would either resign as Royals’ captain or be sacked.
In January, the Royals – returning to IPL after a two-year ban for a team owner’s and its players’ roles in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal – had retained Smith for Rs 12 crores. Earlier, Smith was captain of the Rising Pune Supergiant team in the 2017 IPL.
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Although in their statement the Rajasthan Royals said that Smith himself decided to step down, it is apparent that his position had become untenable in the prevailing circumstances. Rather, his career now seems to be on the line.
“Rajasthan Royals will do everything possible to protect the values and the integrity of the game. We agree with Steve’s decision to step down as captain, and we are fortunate to have such a capable successor with Ajinkya Rahane. It is important that all cricket fans retain a balanced perspective on the situation. What happened in South Africa was clearly wrong, especially given that it appears to have been pre-meditated. That said, this will be a difficult time for Steve as well, given how much he cares about the game,” said Manoj Badale, the co-owner of Rajasthan Royals.
In January, after the Royals retained Smith, Badale had said this: “We welcome Steve Smith on board. His presence will mean a lot to the team as we look forward to a fresh beginning and a successful season. Steve has been with the Royals in the past and has done a fantastic job. His experience and leadership qualities will surely drive the Royals towards putting up a great show.” Great show or not, Smith is effectively out even before the Royals take off.
Rajasthan Royals launch their IPL campaign with an away fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 9, followed by their first home game in Jaipur on April 11, when they host Delhi Daredevils at Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
