Rajasthan Royals remove Steve Smith as captain after ball-tampering row, Ajinkya Rahane to lead team in IPL 2018

Under fire Australia captain Steve Smith stepped down as the skipper of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals following the infamous ball-tampering row that has rocked the cricket fraternity. The 2008 IPL champions have named star India batsman Ajinkya Rahane as the new skipper ahead of the 11th season of the league, starting April 7. "The game is bigger than any individual and we hold this thought close to our heart,” said Manoj Badale, the co-owner of Rajasthan Royals. The Rajasthan Royals are making a comeback in this year's IPL following serving a two-year suspension due to the involvement of their officials in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing and betting scandal. Smith was part of the franchise in 2014 and 2015 before playing for the Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016 and 2017. Smith also led Rising Pune Supergiant to the final of the IPL 2017, where they lost against eventual champions Mumbai Indians. For more sports news and updates: https://www.indiatvnews.com/sports