Steve Smith Signs Off From IPL 2019 With Wonderful Message For Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan Royals’ skipper Steve Smith played his final match of IPL 2019 last night when the one-time champion team squared-off against Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Smith has to go back to Australia to prepare for World Cup 2019 and it was already known that he and David Warner were in India till April 30th.

An elated Smith wrote farewell note for his team and thanked the franchise for seven weeks that he played here.

Thank you @rajasthanroyals for the last 7 weeks. I’ve enjoyed every minute of this ipl and I’m glad to be involved with such a great franchise with so many wonderful people. Good luck in… https://t.co/YetHdsSEM9

— Steve Smith (@stevesmith49) April 30, 2019

Smith had to miss last year’s IPL as he was banned by Cricket Australia for the ball-tampering saga.

The ban saw him and Warner miss IPL 2018.

Both the players were to lead their respective teams but missed out on playing the tournament.

This year, both of them were allowed to play the league but were dealing with elbow issues.

Smith’s case was a bigger one and at one stage, he was also in doubt play the T20 league.

He isn’t fully fit but played the tournament, that was his comeback trail before he joins Australia’s camp prior to World Cup.

Both Smith and Warner have made their comebacks to the national squad for World Cup 2019.

For Smith, he wasn’t having a great IPL at the start and also got dropped from playing XI but to a big surprise, he replaced Ajinkya Rahane as the skipper.

He took over the captaincy just prior to the game against Mumbai Indians and won three out of four matches that he led the team in the tournament.

Their previous match against Royal Challengers Bangalore was abandoned due to rain.

Relentless rain in Bengaluru meant that a five-over game per side was organised.

RCB scored 62/7 in their allotted five overs.

Rajasthan Royals were one down for 41 when the rain arrived again on the next day of the match.

This time, the officials decided to call off the match and both the teams shared points.

Smith could not even bat in his final match of IPL 2019.

Apart from naming a foreign player in playing XI, Rajasthan Royals will have to look for a new captain.

Ajinkya Rahane is, of course, the leading contender but it has not been confirmed yet whether he will take the job again.

Rajasthan Royals do not have as an experienced player as Rahane and he is only expected to take up the post again.

The Jaipur-based franchise now takes on Delhi Capitals in an away game on May 4.