Smith, Warner not allowed to play IPL this year: Rajiv Shukla March 28 2018 Indian Premier League commissioner Rajiv Shukla has poured more misery on the already beleaguered Australia pair of Steven Smith and David Warner, the country's captain and vice-captain until the recent ball-tampering saga unfolded, by confirming that they will not be allowed to play in the IPL this year. Both players, captains of their respective franchises Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, had already stepped down from their positions as leaders of the side, but now find themselves out of the team too. The players were on contracts of 12.5 crore INR. "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, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. The fall-out from Smith's astounding ball tampering confessions midway through Australia's third Test against South Africa continues to snowball rapidly. The barring from the IPL comes on the back of reports that both Smith and Warner have been handed one-year bans from Cricket Australia.
Kane Williamson appointed SRH captain for IPL 2018 Kane Williamson, the New Zealand captain, will lead SunRisers Hyderabad during Indian Premier League 2018, the franchise announced on Thursday (March 29). The decision comes in the wake of the recent ball-tampering controversy, that led to bans for Warner and Steven Smith from the 11th edition of IPL. "I've accepted the role to stand in as captain for this season," Williamson was quoted as saying by SRH on Twitter. "It's an exciting opportunity with a talented group of players. I look forward to the challenges ahead." Australia vice-captain Warner, along with skipper Smith, were handed one-year bans by Cricket Australia for being part of the "leadership group" complicit in Cameron Bancroft's ball-tampering act which was caught on camera during third Test against South Africa in Newlands, Cape Town. Following Cricket Australia's ruling on the players, the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators, in consultation with the BCCI's acting president CK Khanna, IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla and BCCI's acting Hon. secretary Amitabh Choudhary, decided to bar the duo from participating in the 2018 edition of the IPL. Warner and Smith had earlier stepped down from their leadership positions with SunRisers and Rajasthan Royals respectively, with the Jaipur-based franchise appointing Ajinkya Rahane as their skipper in place of the beleaguered Australia captain. Both franchises are yet to name their respective replacements for the banned Australian duo.
