It’s time to respect Steve Smith as a batsman and player, says Ajinkya Rahane

Smith was stripped of the captaincy and handed a one-year ban by the Cricket Australia for bringing disrepute to the game of cricket by pre-planning to cheat on the field. The sanction came on the back of a huge outrage by the cricket lovers world over, but following Smith’s emotional press conference at the Sydney airport, where he couldn’t control his tears and broke down more than once, the world started to show their sympathetic side for the Australian talisman. Rahane, the Aussie’s former teammate at the Rajasthan Royals and Rising Pune Supergiant, believes that the world shouldn’t forget what Smith has achieved in his career as a cricketer.  

"If you look at the decision historically, it was too harsh," Bharucha pointed out.

On being asked about on what position would Royals would finish at when the IPL season was done, the Indian Test vice-captain said, "You would know that only after the tournament. We would try and play good cricket and give our 100 percent as T20 is a format where the game can change within an over or two. So we would try not to take any game lightly.

"It's a happy feeling coming to Jaipur. I received some positive vibes when I entered the city. The mind now automatically wants to bat. And we have a good record here too. But it's like a new start now. Surely the home games will be very important but the away games are equally important.”