Australia star Steve Smith could captain side in Ashes series this winter

Back in 2018, Smith was stripped of the captaincy and banned from all forms of cricket for a year for his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal that took place during the Aussies' tour of South Africa.

After recovering his career, alongside fellow shamed teammates David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, Smith has been tipped to skipper the side once again ahead of the eagerly-anticipated winter series Down Under.

Speaking to Australian newspaper The Age, Dr Simon Longstaff, who led the independent investigation into Smith's misconduct, hinted at Smith's return, and claiming: “I've always believed that if people have done the wrong thing, have paid a particular penalty and they show that they have been open in their acceptance of wrongdoing and genuinely remorseful, then they should not be excluded for all opportunities into the future, and I would apply that to Steven Smith.”

Wicket-keeper Tim Paine has skippered the side since the 31-year-old was stripped of the captaincy, led his side to victory in the 2019 Ashes series in England.

Currently, Smith is playing Indian Premier League cricket for the Delhi Capitals, who are top of the table with six wins from eight matches. The tenacious batsman featured in yesterday's seven-wicket win over the Punjab Kings, chipping in with 24 runs off 22 balls as his side cruised to victory with two overs to spare.