The Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday, April 28, banned the disgraced duo of Steve Smith and David Warner from Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 over their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal that has brought shame to Australian cricket.
The decison from the apex body of Indian cricket came minutes after Cricket Australia (CA) banned Smith and Warner for 12 months. Cameron Bancroft, who tampered the ball during the recently-concluded Cape Town Test against South Africa, has been handed a nine-month ban.
"The CoA (Committee of Administrators), in consultation with BCCI Acting President Mr CK Khanna, IPL chairman Mr Rajeev Shukla and BCCI Acting Hon. Secretary Mr Amitabh Choudhary, has decided to ban Mr Smith and Mr Warner with immediate effect from participation in IPL 2018," an official statement from the BCCI read.
"The BCCI hopes that the cricketers participating in the IPL hold the highest regard for the Spirit of Cricket and Code of Conduct for Players and Match Officials."
Meanwhile, Shukla confirmed that Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad will get replacements for Smith and Warner, respectively.
The franchises will get replacements for the players as they (David Warner and Steve Smith) will not be allowed to play this year: Rajiv Shukla, IPL Commissioner pic.twitter.com/5CDRxHdSGR
— ANI (@ANI) March 28, 2018
Smith and Warner will also not be able to captain Australia across all formats for the next two years. CA, who are conducting an investigation into the much-publicized row, are expected to come up with the official announcement soon, according to ESPNCricinfo.
Notably, both former captain and the vice-captain gave up their leadership roles with Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, respectively, even before the sanctions were approved by CA.
Speculations were rife that the duo would play IPL 2018 if CA's bans were exclusive of the No Objection Certificate (NOC) to play in foreign leagues.
However, a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official told Cricketnext earlier in the day that there was no question of Smith and Warner featuring in the cash-rich league if the duo is slapped with bans by the CA.
He also pointed out how West Indies cricketer Andre Russell missed the 2017 edition of IPL after he was banned for a year over doping charges in January last year.
"To be honest, I don't understand what all the cry is about. If CA goes ahead and bans them, there is no way that the IPL franchises can accommodate them, just like Andre Russell had to skip the IPL after he was caught violating doping clauses." the BCCI source said, according to the report.
"If CA says that it has decided to ban the two players, that is where it all ends for them as far as IPL 11 is concerned. The IPL GC (Governing Council) actually has no role," he added.
