Smith and Warner banned for 1 year, out of IPL

Steve Smith and David Warner were slapped with a one-year international ban and ousted from this year's IPL, while Cameron Bancroft was suspended for nine months as Cricket Australia cracked the whip on the errant trio yesterday for its role in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa. 

The three players were also banned from Australia's domestic cricket. The lengthy bans on the trio effectively rule them out of the November-December series against India. Virat Kohli's men are scheduled to tour Australia to play four Tests, three One Day Internationals and three Twenty20 International matches.

In an extensive statement, Cricket Australia announced the sanctions imposed on the three players, who were ordered to leave for home yesterday midway through the ongoing Test series against South Africa. The



cricketers have seven days to appeal against the bans imposed on them.

All three players will, however, be permitted to play club cricket to maintain links with the cricket community.In a double blow for Smith and Warner, the two were barred from this year's IPL. Smith was supposed to captain Rajasthan Royals and Warner was to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad. Bancroft does not play in the IPL.

Australia's chief coach Darren Lehmann has been given a clean chit after preliminary investigations. Tim Paine will captain Australia in the final Test match in Johannesburg with reinforcements in middle-order batsman Glenn Maxwell along with openers Joe Burns and Matt Renshaw scheduled to reach South Africa later today.