Steve Smith, David Warner banned from playing for Australia for a year.

Cricket Australia suspended Captain Steve Smith and teammate David Warner (vice-captain) from playing for their country for 12 months following the ban on opening batsman Cameron Bancroft for 9 months. They all were found guilty in ball tampering plot in the third test match on day three of March 24 in Capetown against South Africa.

In the findings of the CA investigation it was revealed that the sandpaper was used for ball tampering to change the condition of the ball as claimed by the Bancroft and Smith.

“Will regret this all my life,” says Steve Smith.

The Australian newspapers were merciless on Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. In a front page headline of the Australian newspaper said: “sack them all”, reflecting the mood of the Australian media, public and the great supporters of the Australian cricket.

Earlier, also the Ball tampering allegations has been made by the England bowler Stuart broad in the recently conducted Ashes series. So they are the repeat offenders but Steve smith says that it was the first time they had tried it.

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke said, “I know it’s really hard for a lot of people and it’s going to take a lot of time, and I accept that, but forgiveness.”

ICC bans smith for one test match in the earlier punishment which was viewed as lenient punishment by some but which was in line with ICC protocols. Smith and warner are in danger of being fired permanently from their positions.

Former South Africa Captain Graeme Smith said, “I can’t remember ever seeing a foreign object (on the field) to change the ball. The pictures are damning. I mean it shouldn’t be that cricket Australia is setting the example. The ICC should be setting the example. I don’t know what the right ban is, but it shouldn’t be just one test match …. I think they missed an opportunity to handle this properly. They haven’t done that. You have two players, who have admitted guilt for cheating. That’s huge.”

Cricket has been known as a gentleman's game. It's a game that I believe should be played in the purest form. Whatever has happened is unfortunate but the right decision has been taken to uphold the integrity of the game. Winning is important but the way you win is more important

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) March 28, 2018

Australia has been known for his aggressive sporting nation. It was then under the captaincy of Steve Waugh the word called sledging started. Present situation is that many of the Australians cannot believe that smith conducted something like that with some others players of the team but many of others thinks that the punishment is inadequate for the nature of offence.

CA’s investigation found warner responsible for “development of a plan to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball” and “instruction to a junior player to carry out a plan.”  They shouldn’t have involved the youngster.

The ban lead them to ousted from the Indian Premier League starting next month following the sanctions handed down by CA. Smith and warner had already been replaced as the Captains of their IPL teams.

Meanwhile Australian team coach Darren Lehmann was not aware of ball tampering scandal and the CA investigations revealed that the coach had no knowledge of ball tampering plot during the Test match.

“I am not going to resign. We need to change how we play and within that the boundaries we play. Previously we’ve butted heads on the line but that’s not the way to go for us playing cricket moving forward”, said Lehmann.

Now the biggest test for the Australian board is to change the whole image and attitude of the Australian cricket.