Australia ball-tampering scandal: India's Rohit Sharma feels this incident should not define Steve Smith and Co

New Delhi: The ball tampering incident should not define Steve Smith and his two fallen teammates, according to Indian batsman Rohit Sharma, who said images of the former Australia skipper being escorted at Johannesburg airport and his tearful media conference in Sydney “resonated” with him. Smith on Thursday fought back tears as he claimed full responsibility for the ball-tampering scandal that destroyed his reputation, while David Warner and Cameron Bancroft also offered their apologies for the scandal that plunged Australian cricket into turmoil. The developments in South Africa and Australia have not escaped Rohit’s attention.

pic.twitter.com/w7LX6a2EYU

— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) March 29, 2018

Spin great Shane Warne pointed to a picture of Smith being escorted by airport security in Johannesburg.

This is disgraceful ! @stevesmith49 is not a criminal !!!!! pic.twitter.com/b2SsfakARo

— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) March 28, 2018

With father Peter by his side, a visibly broken Smith faced an eager media after touching down in Sydney and broke down more than once while seeking forgiveness for plotting the now infamous ball-tampering episode in the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town. Apologies also came in from Warner, declared the chief plotter, and Bancroft, the man who was entrusted the job of tampering the ball with a sandpaper.