Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has given his opinion on the Australian skipper Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner getting banned for one year, as Tendulkar feels that the decision was correct. Sachin’s statement came after Smith and Warner were found guilty of ball tampering during the third Test of the four-match series against South Africa in Cape Town. Not only this both Warner and Smith have been banned from the 11th season of the IPL.
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
Talking to Twitter, Sachin wrote, “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.”
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The ball-tampering episode that took place on Saturday at Newlands took place when the cameras present at the ground captured Australian player Cameron Bancroft rubbing a foreign object on the rough side of the ball. Australian coach Darren Lehmann then sent out a message through 12th man Peter Handscomb to inquire about the mishappening, following which Cameron shoved a yellow object down his trousers, which made the match-officials even more curious about it.
During the post-day press conference, Bancroft and then skipper Steven Smith acknowledged the failed attempt of ball-tampering with sticky tape and said “the leadership group” had known about the plan beforehand. After an investigation into the matter by CA’s head of integrity, Iain Roy, Warner was found guilty of “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 to take steps to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball using sandpaper.”
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However, coach Darren Lehmann got the clean chit from Cricket Australi, despite being in the leadership group. Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland, during the press conference on Wednesday, cleared the air as he said, “He (Lehmann) saw that and he radioed down and he said ‘what the f*** is going on?’ He said to Handscomb ‘Find out what the f— is going on’.”
