Smith confessed that the leadership group knew that the ball tampering has been done to make the ball reverse swing at the early stages of the game on day 3. Smith along with Bancroft and Warner were handed over bans from the CA. While Smith and Warner received a ban for 12 months, Bancroft was handed over the 9-month ban.
Darren Lehmann will continue to be the coach of the national squad.
Meanwhile, Steve Smith on his return to Sydney was surrounded by the security to ensure safety during the onboard. Few of the fans were seen using the word “cheat” at the airport.
This is how Twitter reacted to this incident
Very sad visuals coming out of South Africa airport . Steve Smith is being made to look like a convict or a muderer . For God's sake, understand it's a mistake not a bloody crime. There are bigger crimes in cricket that have been hidden by many a system !!
— Mikkhail Vaswani (@MikkhailVaswani) March 28, 2018
Steve Smith, 28, one of Australia’s greatest ever cricketers being escorted through a chaotic airport like a convicted criminal.
Yes, what he did was completely wrong, but this is a tough watch! #SteveSmith pic.twitter.com/DUKtwIkOLC
— Seam Up Cricket (@SeamUp) March 28, 2018
I don't think #SteveSmith, #DavidWarner & #Bancroft did something that miserable to deserve such treatment…! Mistakes are a part of life but admitting to it getting over to is the real deal..! Its unfair to treat them in such manner…!#SandpaperGate #BallTamperingRow pic.twitter.com/daO3BEUHA1
— Saqib Ilyas (@silyasofficial) March 29, 2018
Chaotic scenes at Johannesburg airport today as Australian cricket captain Steve Smith begins his journey home having been banned for his role in ‘sandpaper-gate’
(PS for those who don’t approve, we weren’t there) pic.twitter.com/pHlrg7a0I7— Dan Roan (@danroan) March 28, 2018
That's not fair
Shame on south Africa police
Tough time ..😢😢 to #SteveSmith pic.twitter.com/lIPO0c0NK4— R E V A N T H (@RevanthCr7_) March 29, 2018
That's not a way to treat him. He's not a criminal #Australia #Smith #SteveSmith #SandpaperGate https://t.co/bI1bVo9TWS
— Chirag (@_chiggsworld_) March 29, 2018
This picture is a story in itself…. don't try to climb the peak so fast…fall will be even more faster. Till few days back, he was a superstar….now he is being treated as disgrace #CricketAustralia #Cricket #SteveSmith pic.twitter.com/M0EklcJqKH
— Mukul Bhartiya (@ahamMukul) March 29, 2018
Steve Smith escorted by police officers to a departure area at Johannesburg airport, where fans were shouting at him 'Cheats Cheats'
He may have committed a big mistake but He's not a murderer or a criminal doesn't deserve to be treated this way by anyone #SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/BM70m4PfrA— Abhijeet ♞ (@TheYorkerBall) March 28, 2018
Really feeling sad for smith…one mistake nd forget all good you have done in past..Totally unfair..he doesnt deserve this kind of treatment.did he kill someone????😏 #SteveSmith #Australiancricket #SouthAfrica @ICC
— Atman Sabarigirish (@sabarigirish1) March 29, 2018
This is disgraceful ! @stevesmith49 is not a criminal !!!!! pic.twitter.com/b2SsfakARo
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) March 28, 2018
@ShaneWarne I have been watching the footage at the airport, on @CNN . Trust me, the police were there to keep media off Smith; not handling him like a criminal. Send my regards to Gav! Agree with your opinion of sentence not fitting the crime; from a cricket perspective #harsh
— Jonty Rhodes (@JontyRhodes8) March 29, 2018
