Cricket Crush

Warner struggled to fight back the tears as he read a prepared statement in which he said his actions had been "inexcusable". The former vice-captain was identified by a CA investigation as the main instigator of the plan to scuff up the ball with sandpaper. Warner also said that "There's a tiny ray of hope that I may one day be given the privilege of playing for my country again but I'm resigned to the fact that that may never happen again," the 31-year-old told reporters at the Sydney Cricket Ground. "In the coming weeks and months I'm going to look at how this happened and who I am as a man. I will seek out advice and expertise to help me make serious changes."

The news comes across as a huge dent to Kolkata Knight Riders, who picked him during the mega player auction earlier in the year, for INR 9.4 Crore. Starc, who was tipped to lead the franchise's bowling attack, will now leave a huge vacuum in their bowling tank with fellow compatriot Mitchell Johnson expected to step up to that role. So the Australian fast bowler will be out of IPL 2018 with 'tibial bone stress'

One Mistake Should Not Define A 'Great Player', Steve Smith Finds Support From Rohit Sharma. The Mumbai Indians skipper wrote that although Smith made a huge mistake, it should not define him and the ridicule that he was being subjected to was difficult to fathom.

David Warner, who led Sunrisers Hyderabad to the IPL crown in 2016, has already been stripped off the Australian vice-capta incy in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal.David Warner has stepped down as captain of Indian Premier league team Sunrisers Hyderabad. The decision comes in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal that has rocked the Australian cricket team on their tour of South Africa.

Steven Smith has "stepped down" as captain of Rajasthan Royals for the 2018 IPL season, in the wake of his admission to orchestrating a plan to tamper with the ball during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town. India batsman Ajinkya Rahane will lead Royals, who are returning to the IPL this year after serving a two-year ban for corruption during the 2013 season of the tournament.