New Delhi: Australian batter Steve Smith has opened up about the difficult time after the 2018 ball-tampering controversy, saying that he felt alone during the fallout.
He described his emotional return to Australia as one of the most painful experiences of his life.
Smith is set to return to South Africa for for the first time since the scandal. It will be his first Test series in the country since the controversy at Newlands in Cape Town, which resulted in lengthy bans for Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.
“I felt like I was kind of thrown to the wolves through (Johannesburg) airport. I didn’t have any support there at all. (The press conference) was a traumatic experience in my life and I still get little flashbacks, when I hear a camera and flashes, I relive it in a way. They’re intertwined in a way,” Smith told the Sydney Daily Telegraph.
Sandpapergate scandal
The incident happened during the third Test between Australia and South Africa at Newlands in March 2018. Bancroft was caught on camera using sandpaper to rough up the ball before trying to hide it in his trousers. Smith later admitted that he knew about the plan but had failed to prevent it.
Smith and Warner were subsequently barred by Cricket Australia for 12 months, while Bancroft also got a nine-month ban. Smith was also removed from the Australia captaincy, and the trio was sent home from the South Africa tour.
After arriving back in Sydney, Smith broke down in tears during a press conference and apologised for his role in the scandal. The Australian batter has felt that his punishment was harsh, although he accepted the charges. Smith later said he enjoyed some aspects of the enforced break from the intensity of international cricket.
The star batter made a comeback to Australia’s squad for the 2019 ODI World Cup before returning to Test cricket during the Ashes later that year. Smith smashed centuries in both innings of the first Test at Edgbaston.
Now, the batter is looking forward to facing South Africa again. Australia are set to play three ODI matches followed by three Tests, with the Test series starting in Durban on October 9.