Rajasthan Royals confirm Steve Smith will be a part of their squad next season

The Rajasthan Royals management has made it clear that they have not cut their ties with Steve Smith and he is still a Rajasthan Royals player despite having to stay out of IPL 11. Earlier after accepting his role in the ball-tampering saga in the third test match against South Africa, Smith had stepped down from the captaincy of the Royals to make sure the team could prepare for the upcoming IPL without any distractions.

There was an uncertainty over Smith’s participation in IPL 11 as a player, but once Cricket Australia banned him for 12 months, the BCCI and the IPL governing council decided to go the same route and barred him from taking part in the IPL as well for that duration.

However, by the time the next IPL arrives, Smith will have completed his ban and Zubin Bharucha, who is the head of the Cricket Operations of Rajasthan Royals told TOI that the right-hander will be a part of their squad next season.

Smith will complete his ban in time for the 2019 IPL season

It’s however tough to foresee Smith being given the charge of the Royals in future. It’s not that he is not eligible to lead the Royals when he returns. The 2-year captaincy ban that has been imposed on him by Cricket Australia applies only to international and Australian domestic cricket and it doesn’t stop Smith from captaining a cricket side outside Australia, but given the fact that his reputation as a leader has taken a huge knock, the chances are very slim that any franchise or any overseas side elsewhere will appoint him the captain ever.

Meanwhile, there have been no reports if the Sunrisers Hyderabad will persist with David Warner next season. Warner is believed to be the mastermind behind the ball-tampering plan that the Aussies tried to execute in Cape Town and he has been banned for the same period as Smith. While the left-hander is also set to be back in IPL 2019, it will be interesting to see if SRH keeps him in the squad or releases him.