Former Australian skipper Steve Smith has returned to Australia following his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa earlier this year.
The cricket star, who fled to America to escape the fallout of his actions, has taken to social media to let the Australian public know he’s back. It’s the first time since early April he’s posted anything to his sites.
Taking to Instagram, Smith posed in a photo with his pooch and wife Dani Willis. The 28-year-old said he needed time to clear his head after becoming one of the most talked about people in Australia for all the wrong reasons.
“It’s great to be back home in Australia,” he said. “I have had some time away to come to terms with everything and now it’s time to get back into it.”
The athlete explained he’d received plenty of emails and letters from fans who still supported him. He said he was “humbled”, but acknowledged he had a lot to do to win back the respect of the Australian public he’d let down.
“I now have a lot to do to earn back your trust,” he said.
He took a moment to thank is mum, dad and wife for their ongoing support and said family was the most important thing in his life.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BiVyq5XBHc0/?utm_source=ig_embed
Fans were delighted to see Smith looking so happy after a rough couple of months.
One person wrote: “So good to see you smiling champ”.
Another comment read: “No one deserves a second chance more than you. You were a champion once and will be again.”
Read more: Steve Smith gets new gig as TV commentator
A third fan added: “You are an incredible man. I didn’t like you earlier, but what you did takes real balls, we fans respect attitude and you have set a perfect example of leadership and attitude. Wish that you come back soon with a bang.”
Along with David Warner, Smith was banned from playing cricket for a year, while Cameron Bancroft was hit with a nine-month suspension. Each player has lost lucrative sponsorship deals and were faced with backlash from around the globe.
Still, various reports say Smith could return to TV screens long before he returns to the cricket pitch.
Wide World of Sports reports that Smith is likely to “undertake roles in the commentary box and offer his opinion on magazine shows” — a role that will help him secure an income after he was dumped from sponsors for his part in the ball tampering scandal in South Africa. The publication says nothing is confirmed yet and that Foxtel is still tossing up names for the commentary box.
Either way, it looks like Smith is glad to be home.