IPL 2018: 3 players who can replace Steve Smith if he doesn't play the tournament
Steve Smith is at the centre of a massive ball tampering controversy that ensued during the ongoing Test series between Australia and South Africa. Opener Cameron Bancroft was caught on the big screen using a foreign substance (read Sandpaper) to alter the condition of the ball.
The player later admitted to the charges but things took a turn when skipper Steve Smith admitted that the 'leadership group' decided to actually 'cheat'. Smith's admittance caused a massive furore in the cricketing world.
While we wait for Cricket Australia to complete the internal investigation, Smith has already stepped down as the Rajasthan Royals captain and his availability in the lucrative T20 league also hinges on the decision made by IPL governing council, who are waiting for CA to complete its investigations.
So, here we'll have a look at three unsold players who can replace Steve Smith if he does not play this year's IPL.
#3 Alex Hales, England
An explosive player with all the necessary ingredients required to be a marquee T20 batsman, Alex Hales is a complete package. On his day, Hales can be a brutal marauder of a cricket ball, testified by his breathtaking 114 in a tricky run-chase against Sri Lanka in a World T20 game.
A barren run of form during the T20I tri-series back in January was one of the pivotal reasons for him being unsold at the auctions. Hales recently featured in the PSL 2018, where he played a crucial role with a swashbuckling 46 for the eventual champions Islamabad United in Qualifier 1.
T20I Career Stats: Matches: 52; Runs: 1456; Avg: 31.65; 50s/100s: 7/1; S/R: 136.33