Australian Cricket is at their all-time low after the ball-tampering saga led to severe bans on Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.
Smith and Warner are in their eighth month of the 12-month suspension, while Bancroft will be eligible to return in December after serving his 9-month period. However, there has been calls for the bans on Smith and Warner to be reduced given Australia's poor form and the upcoming home series against the world No.1 Test side India.
According to the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) head Greg Dyer, "all three players had been punished enough". Moreover, Cricket Australia also contemplates reducing the bans following rising pressure from ACA.
However, former Australia speedster Mitchell Johnson feels that the tainted trio should complete their time away from cricket as they had accepted mistake and bans imposed on them.
Taking to Twitter, Johnson wrote: “I thought 3 players were banned So does that mean Cameron Bancroft’s ban will be reduced to the same amount as Smith & Warner if it goes ahead? They all accepted their bans & didn’t contest it so I think the bans should stay.”
I thought 3 players were banned ????So does that mean Cameron Bancroft’s ban will be reduced to the same amount as Smith & Warner if it goes ahead? They all accepted their bans & didn’t contest it so I think the bans should stay https://t.co/9IoCfjl3P5
— Mitchell Johnson (@MitchJohnson398) November 18, 2018
Just a couple of days ago, legendary Australia captain Ian Chappell had said that the bans on Smith, Warner and Bancroft should not be reduced.
"Do I think that some of the bans should have been reduced. No, I don't think they should, because of the things that came out of the long staff review was that they felt the attitude was to win and don't count the cost. If they would have brought Smith, Warner and Bancroft back into the team against India, then they would say 'here we go again', don't count the cost let's just make sure we win," Chappell had told ESPNcricinfo.
Australian cricket was shaken to the core after cameras had caught Bancroft using a sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball during the Cape Town Test against South Africa in March.
In a shocking press conference after the day's play, former Australia skipper Smith had admitted that the entire ball-tampering saga was a deliberate plan from the “leadership group” of the side. Subsequently, Cricket Australia had banned Smith and his deputy Warner for one-year while Bancroft was handed a 9-month suspension from international cricket.
