With more developments emerging from the ball-tampering saga, it is being reported by Fairfax Media that both Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft were advised against going public with the issue right after the day ended.

On day three in Cape Town, Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera using a foreign substance to rub the ball with. When he later realized that the cameras were focusing on him, he hid it down his pants and lied to the umpires about it.

Later, it was found out that he was using sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball and gain reverse swing for the pacers. After the day ended, however, both Bancroft and Steve Smith spoke in a press conference and revealed that the former had indeed tampered with the ball after instructions from a “leadership group.”

The revelation exploded Australian cricket and saw even the Prime Minister of the country calling out against the cheating that the players had planned and executed. A lot of revered figures in the cricket fraternity, meanwhile, were astounded with the fact that the players were allowed to speak to the media like that, with Australia Cricketers Association president Greg Dyer saying that he had used foul language while watching the press conference and was baffled by how they were allowed to spill all the beans like that.

However, Fairfax media have now revealed that the duo were asked by Cricket Australia to address the media a day after instead of that very day. The reasoning was that they wanted them to consider the repercussions of their revelation before speaking out.

They also asked Steve Smith to reveal only a few details about the incident, given that Bancroft had been charged, but was yet to be punished at the time, and promise them a comprehensive insight of what had really happened on day 3 in Cape Town.

Steve Smith, however, was adamant to get the burden off his chest instantly and said almost everything to the media then and there, causing a maelstrom of events to happen subsequently.

In the end, Cricket Australia handed a yearlong ban on Steve Smith, for not stopping Bancroft from carrying out the plan despite being aware of it, and David Warner, for being the instigator of the strategy.

Cameron Bancroft was also handed a 9-month ban for carrying out the scandalous plan.