MUMBAI: Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals must be feeling jinxed. They certainly could have done without the headache of another scandal just as they were readying to make their return to the IPL after two years out suspended.
The direct and incontrovertible involvement of Australia’s captain Steven Smith and vice-captain David Warner in ball tampering during the third day’s play of the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town, has left their respective IPL teams – Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad – with little wiggle room to manouvre.
Smith and Warner (even more so) are key players for Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad but calls not just to relieve them of captaincy but also ensure they do not represent the two IPL franchises in this edition of the league are gathering momentum.
Former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan on Sunday said that Smith should not be allowed to play in the upcoming season of the IPL. “It was very brazen of Steve Smith to just come and say that it was the team leadership’s decision to do that,” Wassan told ANI.
“I think he should not be playing IPL as just stepping down of captaincy and getting a ban of few matches is not enough for somebody of his stature. He is the guy people look up to. He and David Warner should not be playing in IPL. Those teams will have to take a hard call as game is bigger than the players.”
Both franchises would of course be awaiting the outcome of an investigation launched by Cricket Australia into the sordid scandal, which will be announced Tuesday. “We expect to be able to fully update the Australian public on the findings on Wednesday morning (Tuesday evening in Johannesburg),” CA chief executive James Sutherland said Monday.
Whatever be CA’s decision though, it is certain that Smith will not be the Royals captain. The franchise confirmed as much via its official Twitter handle: “Rajasthan Royals appoint @ajinkyarahane88 as the captain for #IPL2018
“The game is bigger than any individual and we hold this thought close to our heart.”- Manoj Badale , the co-owner of Rajasthan Royals.
Meanwhile, IPL chief Rajeev Shukla said they will abide by whatever the International Cricket Council decided. “We are aware about the matter and are following it closely. Whatever will be the ICC’s ruling, we will implement that in the IPL,” he said.
