5 Instances when the cricketers were criticised for featuring in controversial commercials

3. Steve Smith

After the ‘sandpaper-gate’ in March last year, Australian captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and batsman Cameron Bancroft faced suspension from playing international cricket. This was an extremely heartbreaking time for the trio as they were even seen crying in public to show their regret for the blunder. Steve Smith appeared in an advertisement for a telecom company Vodafone, in which he talked about how much he was affected by the incident.

People seemed unimpressed with the former Aussie skipper for featuring in that commercial as, according to some, it was ‘disgraceful’ on Smith’s behalf to monetise controversy. People also slammed him for “using mental illness to try and flog off some phones” and raised their doubts over whether the former Aussie skipper had even learnt anything from what transpired in March 2018.