If I Was Smith, Warner Or Bancroft, I'd Want The Others Publicly Recognized For Their Part In What Happened: Ian Chappell

Former Australian captain Ian Chappell has revealed his take on the fresh revelations made by Cameron Bancroft regarding the ball-tampering scandal that erupted at the Newlands in 2018. Cameron Bancroft’s recent interview with The Guardian has put the bowlers, including Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, and Pat Cummins, under the spotlight since he indicated that the knowledge of the ball-tampering extended beyond him, Steve Smith, and David Warner. Ian Chappell believes that he would want all the names out if he were any of the three.

Former Australian skipper Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft were the only ones convicted of the offence. After Cameron Bancroft admitted that he tried to alter the condition of the ball using the sandpaper, Steve Smith revealed that the “leadership group” knew about it. Following investigations, Smith and Warner copped a year-long ban from international cricket, while Bancroft received a nine-month ban. But Bancroft’s statement meant that Cricket Australia might reopen the case if they get new information.

Ian Chappell thinks that players have made protective statements as it is what they do after any controversy erupts. The 77-year old claimed that having not punished anyone from the higher-level position signals that Cricket Australia decided to brush the matter beneath the carpet and if he were Smith, Warner, or Bancroft, he would want everyone involved to bear the consequences. Chappell stated that it’s not only about the ball being tampered with but the events leading up to that incident.

“It’s the usual backside-protecting statement. That’s all that ever goes on, as soon as there’s a controversy, it’s a rush to protect your own backside. The fact that nobody higher up was ever punished, well, that always made it just an attempt to brush it under the carpet. If I was Smith, Warner or Bancroft, I’d want the others publicly recognised for their part in what happened. It’s not just the fact the ball was tampered with at Newlands, it’s all the lead-up about how it got to that point, and what caused it to reach that level of stupidity,” Chappell told Wide World of Sports.

It involves people way up the ladder: Ian Chappell

Ian Chappell believes that for the incident to have reached that fair, it had to involve plenty of people and that higher-level people had to be involved. The South Australian conceded that if he was only one amongst the three to have borne the consequences, he would be livid.

“For it to have got that far it had to have involved a lot of people, and not just those around the team. It involves people way up the ladder, and the fact that none of them were enveloped, if I was one of the three that did get pinged, I’d be pretty pissed off about it,” he added.

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