IPL 2018: 3 ideal replacements for Smith if he is not allowed to play this season
Today Cricket Australia' boss James Sutherland will hear the results of the investigation conducted by team performance head Pat Howard and integrity chief Iain Roy on the ball tampering scandal.
After hearing them he will announce the punishment for him in a press conference. ICC has already banned Smith for one Test and fined him.
Ajinkya Rahane has already replaced Smith as Rajasthan Royal's captain for this season's IPL.
This decision by Cricket Australia following investigation and interviewing of the players could translate into the ban for the players involved in the scandal.
This could also impact his participation in this year's IPL. BCCI and IPL council has to take a call on that issue. If he is banned from this year's IPL, his franchise would need replacements.
Here are the three possible replacements for the Australian Captain.
#3 Shaun Marsh
Shaun Marsh was a revelation when he first appeared in the IPL in 2008. He is a good stroke player with a fine technique who has been treated unfairly despite his consistent performances when given opportunity.
He was not properly utilised by Kings XI Punjab in the last few seasons of IPL due to Maxwell's inclusion in the squad.
He could be a very good middle order option for Rajasthan in the absence of Smith. In his debut season, he scored 616 runs in 11 matches at a mind-blowing average of 68.44.
His overall average of about 40 only shows that he has always been consistent in IPL. Marsh has scored 2477 runs in 71 IPL matches at a strike rate of 132.74 which includes one hundred and 20 fifties.