Cricket-Smith steps down as captain of IPL's Rajasthan Royals

MUMBAI, March 26 (Reuters) - Australia’s Steve Smith has stepped down as captain of Indian Premier League side the Rajasthan Royals following the ball tampering scandal in South Africa, the franchise said on Monday.

Smith was stripped of the Australian captaincy on Sunday and suspended for one test match by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after admitting conspiring to tamper with the ball during the third test against South Africa in Cape Town.

He was due to captain Royals in this year’s IPL but has been replaced by India’s Ajinkya Rahane. (Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; editing by Christian Radnedge)