On a day the cricketing world witnessed an emotional Steve Smith accept responsibility for a failure in leadership in the ball tampering scandal, Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar called for fans to take a step back and give the banned Australian cricketers ‘some space.’
Smith returned to Australia on Thursday and spoke to the media for the first time since the sanctions were announced by Cricket Australia on Wednesday, which included a 12-month international and domestic cricket ban for the 28-year-old, in addition to a 24-month captaincy ban.
A devastated Smith broke down in tears multiple times first while reading out a statement and then while taking questions from the assembled press, and hoped that his actions and the subsequent punishment could perhaps be a force to bring about change.
The press-conference evoked a near-universal sense of sympathy for Smith and Tendulkar was the latest to join that brigade.
“They are regretting and hurting and will have to live with the consequences of their act,” Tendulkar tweeted. “Spare a thought for their families as they have much to endure along with the players. Time for all of us to take a step back and give them some space.”
VVS Laxman expressed a similar sentiment as well.
South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis also called for compassion towards the banned players and spoke specifically about what Smith must be going through.
Du Plessis, 33, was speaking on the eve of the fourth and final Test at the Wanderers of a drama-packed series in which South Africa hold a 2-1 lead.
“It’s been a crazy week. I have compassion for what he’s going through. I think he’s one of the good guys and he’s just been caught in a bad place,” said Du Plessis, who has twice been found guilty of ball tampering himself, but was only fined and never banned.
“I did send him a text. From a really deep place in my heart I feel for the guy. I don’t want to see guys going through that stuff. It’s going to be incredibly hard for him over the next days so I sent him a message of support, saying he’ll get through this and he must be strong.”
In case you missed it: Watch the Steve Smith press conference here
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