IPL 2018: 5 players who can replace the banned Steve Smith in Rajasthan Royals
Finally, all the drama and suspense surrounding the Sandpaper Gate has come to an end. Steve Smith has been slapped a one-year ban after being held guilty for ‘knowledge of a potential plan to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball’ and ‘failure to take steps to seek to prevent the development and implementation of that plan’.
Smith has also been barred from assuming any leadership role in the national team for the next two years. Experienced opener David Warner and youngster Cameron Bancroft have been suspended for 1 year and 9 months respectively by Cricket Australia (CA) as well.
Soon after CA came out with this penalty, IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla followed suit and informed the press about the unavailability of both the Aussies in this year’s IPL.
Having already removed Smith as Captain, Rajasthan Royals (RR) will not be able to employ his batting services in IPL 2018 as well. After being accorded to pick replacements, RR will look at other options who can potentially replace their former Captain.
Here are five players who can replace the banned Steve Smith in Rajasthan Royals:
#5 Eoin Morgan
Eoin Morgan may not have been able to leave a mark in the IPL till now but he has shown glimpses of his batting talent on Indian pitches. On England’s tour to India in 2017, Morgan was one of the star performers for the English side in the limited-overs leg.
The English Captain piled up 173 runs in 3 ODI innings at an average of 57.67 which included a 102-run knock at Cuttack and 108 runs in the T20 series at a strike rate of over 130.
Morgan got only four games for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2017 and can turn out to be a much better player if RR choose to go with him and give him a longer rope.