I’m trying to move on and improve as a person, says Steve Smith

The ball-tampering incident that occurred on Australia’s tour of South Africa, or the punishments that followed that, was undoubtedly the darkest incident in the international sporting world. The ‘Sandpapergate’ saga ended in heartbreak as Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft were handed lengthy bans for their respective roles in the whole incident, while Australian head coach Darren Lehmann also stepped down from his post in the aftermath of the incident.

In his first public press conference after his return to cricket thorough some T20 leagues around the world, Smith revealed how hard it has been for him to recover from the past and motivate himself to overcome the negativity surrounding him. Smith, who played 64 Test matches for Australia, revealed that there were times when he did not even want to get out of bed.

"I’m going OK. I’ve had tough days, I’ve had my ups and downs. But I’ve been really fortunate to have a close group of people around me to help me through those difficult times. There have been some dark days where I haven’t wanted to get out of bed and things like that.

"But I’ve had a close group of people around me to help me know that it’s OK. I’ve made a mistake and it was a big mistake and I’m trying to move on from that and improve as a person," Smith said at a press meet at the SCG.

Nine months after the incident, Smith looked in good spirits on Friday due to the love and support of his family. While serving the 12-month sanction imposed on him, the right-hander has played in T20 competitions in Canada and the Caribbean, and also featured for Sutherland in NSW Premier (club) Cricket. Smith also spent some time in the nets against Australia's Test pace trio Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins.

However, the former Aussie skipper claimed that it’s been hard to watch from the sidelines as his team have faltered on multiple occasions in the past few months.

"It’s been tough (watching) at times, particularly when the boys haven’t played their best in a couple of games. It’s been hard watching and knowing that I can’t go out and help them.

"But I was really proud of the way the boys played last week in Perth. I thought they were magnificent and I think Tim Paine’s leadership has been exceptional since taking over as captain. He’s obviously been faced with difficult circumstances to begin with but he’s done a terrific job," Smith added.

Smith has been out of top-level cricket since last nine months and will find it hard to make himself ready for the upcoming World Cup in England. On being asked about if he will be prepared for the global event, Smith believes PSL and IPL can help him in that regard.

"I was playing in the Bangladesh League, but I don't know what is happening there at the moment. After that I have the Pakistan League and then the IPL, which I think is adequate preparation for the World Cup, if I'm selected," Smith said.

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