Twitter recalls brainfade, denounces team culture amid Australia ball-tampering scandal

The cricketing world was in a big shock as news of the Australian cricket team indulging in ball tampering was reported. It led to an outrage, following which skipper Steve Smith and vice captain David Warner decided to step down from their positions.

Cricket Australia launched a probe and decided to keep Smith in the role of captain until the end of the investigation. But amid calls of Smith's ouster, the duo decided to relinquish their leadership position. 

Soon after, there were also reports of Rajasthan Royals sacking Smith as their captain in the Indian Premier League championship. Twitterati went berserk amid the development. While some termed it as “Amazing scenes”, other took a dig saying “It’s like Nirav Modi sacking an employee for fraud”.

Here are some of the reactions:

Ball tampering costs Steve Smith's his honour and probably his career. Cheating is pervasive. Shameful to see those lecturing others indulging in the same crime and even worse. #AustralianCricketCrisis

— Syed Talat Hussain (@TalatHussain12) March 25, 2018

Steve Smith has stood down as captain for the rest of the Cape Town Test. David Warner too, as vice-captain. Tim Paine takes over. Amazing scenes. — Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) March 25, 2018

A team which got dismissed for fixing (RR) dismissed a player from captaincy for ball tampering (Steve Smith). It's like Nirav Modi sacking an employee for fraud. — Bollywood Gandu (@BollywoodGandu) March 25, 2018

In case you missed it, this #SandpaperGate #BallTampering is utterly outrageous. It’s just not cricket. #BanBancroft #BanStevesmith #CricketAustralia#AUSvsSA #SteveSmithpic.twitter.com/4ihM9wijNP — (@nareshtkumar10) March 25, 2018

Remember last year when Virat Kohli said after Bengaluru Test that DRS brainfade was done repeatedly through the match... Steve Smith and his companions said it was one time thing and spent 2017 maligning Kohli and his version... some people might want to revisit those events. — Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) March 25, 2018

Amazing country where the media think Steve Smiths actions are worse and more newsworthy than Daniel Andrew’s electoral fraud..... — Steve Noble (@916_stevo) March 25, 2018

I can't believe what I've just read - of course Steve Smith has to resign as captain. He, and by the sounds of what he said his leadership team too, are cheats. I don't care how good a batsman he is a cheat shouldn't be captain. The culture in that team must be very bad... — Peter van Onselen (@vanOnselenP) March 24, 2018

Watching that press conference - I just don’t feel like Steve Smith fully understands the sheer gravity of the situation? An Australian captain - one of our greatest players of all time - and his team conspiring to cheat & caught red handed. — Neroli Meadows (@Neroli_M_FOX) March 24, 2018

The ball-tampering allegations became true on Sunday when Smith said his side deliberately tried to tamper with the condition of the ball on the third day of the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town on Saturday in an orchestrated attempt to gain an advantage.

Smith and senior players conspired to change the condition of the ball using sticky tape and grit from the pitch during the third Test at Newlands with Australia`s opening batsman Cameron Bancroft caught on camera using the tape.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) charged Bancroft, the most junior member in the side at 25, of trying to change the condition of the ball. The governing body could dish out a one-match ban and a 100 percent fine of match fee to Bancroft. 

(With Agency Inputs)