Big Bash League boss Kim McConnie has revealed that neither Steve Smith nor David Warner will be eligible to play in the upcoming BBL. Both Steve Smith and David Warner were banned from international and state level cricket for a year after their involvement in the ball-tampering saga during Australia’s tour of South Africa.

As a result, the duo weren’t allowed to feature in the Indian Premier League that came next and could only return to cricket when they played in the Global T20 League in Canada.

Subsequently, there have been calls for the pair to be allowed to take part in the BBL, but all those suggestions have been quashed by McConnie, who stated that the former captain and vice-captain won’t be allowed to take part in the tournament and won’t have any formal promotional roles.

"Both players have done a really good job and accepted the ruling from Cricket Australia, and they won't be appearing in the BBL this season," McConnie told AAP.

"I think every player who plays cricket, we love to think that they talk about the Big Bash and promote the tournament.

"But beyond being cricket players themselves that have a love of the format, there'll be no formal relationship."

This news doesn’t come as a good one for the Aussies as Warner and Smith will have to play in foreign leagues to stay match fit, which is something that irks former Australia captain Shane Watson who believes that “the whole situation is now Steve Smith and Dave Warner are over promoting other tournaments by playing in them.”