||CF Correspondent||

Banned former Australian skipper Steven Smith said that he is not sure why he was not allowed to take part in the previous edition of IPL.

The BCCI had acted voluntarily as far as banning Steve Smith and David Warner from the last edition of IPL on ball tampering charges is concerned.

The former Australian captain said that only the Indian board can answer why they acted that way as Cricket Australia's one year ban was from international cricket and the duo were well within their rights to a play domestic T20 league like IPL. But the richest cricket board in the world decided to impose their own sanctions.

Smith, whose one-year ban ends on March 29 will be available for Rajasthan Royals' first game on March 25 but it will depend on the condition of his elbow.

"I am available for all the matches and BCCI has to answer that why I was not allowed to play earlier," Smith took a dig at the BCCI during a promotional event on Friday. Speaking after the jersey launch ceremony, Smith said that he was looking forward to the tournament.