Steve Waugh Believes Australian Public Will Forgive Steven Smith and David Warner

Ever since the shameful Sandpaper gate incident took place at Cape Town in South Africa, it has been a tough time for Australia. They have lost their premium players in the form of Steven Smith, David Warner and young Cameron Bancroft. The trio accepted their mistakes and pleaded for the respite. Meanwhile, the former great Steve Waugh believes the Australian public will welcome them back into the national fold.

The former Australian feels that the people will adore Smith again, once he takes the field. Both the players are set to play in the upcoming Sydney Premier League (SPL) which helps the players to get back the trust of the Public.

Steven Smith paid a heavy price – Steve Waugh

The former Australian feels that the suspended lads already paid enough price for the crime they have committed. He firmly believes that the people will welcome the duo with both their arms.

Waugh feels that Australia can’t afford to lose a player like Smith, who has got the exceptional ability and bagging the Invincible tag with him. Waugh also highlighted the fact that the youngster is waiting in his wings to fly high for Australia.

“I think they’ll still adore him,” Waugh told Fox Sports News. 

“The Australian public, they are forgiving. He made a mistake and he’s paid a heavy price for it. But if he gets back out there and plays with the same enthusiasm and passion – he loves playing cricket, he loves scoring runs, he wants to get back playing for Australia – I think Australians will move past what happened before,” he added.

“They obviously remember it, but they’re big enough to realise you can make a mistake and grow from that and be stronger. We need him back in Australian cricket. You can’t lose someone of his quality overnight and expect to replace it and he’s still only relatively young,” Steve Waugh added.

It is going to be challenging for Steven Smith and David Warner- Steve Waugh

Further, the all-time great asserted that it would be tough for the banned players to make a comeback in the side. With the game moving on fast-paced, he feels that the players need to be at their best to get into the fold.

“It’s going to be a challenge for all of them to come back into the fold,” Waugh said. “It’s not going to be as easy as people think. You’re out of the game 12 months, the game does move on, you lose that aura of invincibility about you a bit, you become a bit more fragile, maybe a bit of self-doubt creeping in. It’s going to be a real challenge for all three of those players to come back strong,” Waugh concludes.

However, as Steve Waugh said, it is going to be the tough few months ahead for Steven Smith and David Warner. As ever, time will settle the things for the Australian duo in the Baggy Green.