Suspended Australian cricketer Steven Smith has opened up on the ball-tampering scandal that took place earlier this year in March. During a South Africa vs Australia Test match in Cape Town, few Australian players including Smith indulged in ball-tampering which was caught on camera. Following the incident, Smith along with David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were handed suspensions.

Smith has now admitted that he could have stopped the ball-tampering, but did not. Smith also admitted that it was a leadership failure. “I think it has been documented pretty heavily what went on,” Smith said. “For me, I walked passed something and had the opportunity to stop it and I didn’t do it and that was my leadership failure. There was the potential for something to happen and it went out onto the field and I had the opportunity to stop it at that point, rather than say ‘I don’t want to know anything about it. That was my failure of leadership and I have taken responsibility for that,” Smith was quoted as saying by Fox Sports. IPL 2019: Steve Smith Hopes to Recover Lost Ground Before World Cup 2019 With Strong Show

Smith also recalled the moment that led to the use of sandpaper in the dressing room. “I walked passed and saw it and said, ‘I don’t want to know about it. That was my chance where I could have stopped something from happening and that is something I have learned over the last nine months.

"Every decision you make can have a negative outlook if things go pear-shaped and if things go well how does that look. Now it is about learning and almost slowing your thinking down and ensuring you make the right decisions,” Smith said. Steve Smith Banned From Playing BPL 2019 for Comilla Victorians Team

Smith and Warner’s suspension is effective till March 2019 while Bancroft is eligible to play from next month. Both Warner and Smith are suspended from featuring in domestic cricket though they are allowed to play club cricket.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 21, 2018 01:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).