Firmly backing Steve Smith, Cricket Australia today said questioning his integrity is "outrageous" and there was no "ill-intent" in the captain's move of seeking dressing room help for a controversial DRS call during the second Test against India.
In a statement issued here, Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said the CA firmly stands behind Smith and the rest of the Australian cricket team.
"I find the allegations questioning the integrity of Steve Smith, the Australian Team and the dressing room, outrageous," Sutherland was quoted in a statement.
"Steve is an outstanding cricketer and person, and role model to many aspiring cricketers and we have every faith that there was no ill-intent in his actions.
"We reject any commentary that suggests our integrity was brought into disrepute or that systemic unfair tactics are used, and stand by Steve and the Australian Cricketers who are proudly representing our country," he added.
Smith had gestured towards the dressing room to seek a clue on whether to go for a referral or not after he was trapped lBW by pacer Umesh Yadav in the second Test, which Australia lost by 75 runs yesterday.
Sparks flew between him and Indian skipper Virat Kohli when umpires noticed Smith's actions and intervened to stop him. Smith later tried to douse the fire by saying that it was a "brain fade" on his part and he shouldn't have done it.
But Kohli would have none of it in the post-match press conference and just about stopped short of labelling the Australian's actions as cheating.
"I can only say, if it happens more than twice, it's not brain fade," Kohli had said.
Smith was later criticised by former Indian captains such as Sunil Gavaskar and Sourav Ganguly who urged the ICC to look into the matter.
Handscombe admits fault: Told Smith to check with Oz dug-out
New Delhi : Australia batsman Peter Handscombe today admitted his fault in suggesting skipper Steve Smith to seek inputs from the dressing room after being adjudged leg-before off Umesh Yadav on the fourth day of the second Test, which India won by 75 runs.
Smith's action did not go down well with rival captain Virat Kohli, who said that he would "never do something like that on cricket field."
Post midnight, it was Handscombe, who took to twitter to defend his captain and take the blame for what Smith has termed as a "brain fade". Handscombe said he did not know the rules pertaining to DRS referral.
"I referred smudga to look at the box... My fault and was unaware of the rule. Shouldn't take anything away from what was an amazing game!," Handscombe wrote on his official twitter page.
Even former Australia captain Michael Clarke said that it was Handscombe who had suggested Smith to turn around while making it clear that he finds this move "unacceptable".
"I want to find out from the Australian team if they're using the DRS in that way, if they are then that is unacceptable," Clarke told India Today channel.
"My concern and my worry is that when you look at the footage of what happened with Steve Smith, Peter Handscomb ... actually suggests to Steve Smith to turn around and have a look at the support staff.
"If it is only a one-off, I don't think that would have happened. "The fact that Peter Handscomb is even thinking about telling the Australian captain to turn around and look to the support staff, I've got my concerns."
Kohli on his part had said:"We have been inconsistent with the DRS but we take our decisions on the field, we don't ask for confirmation from the dressing room. I have seen it twice while batting. I have seen their players looking upstairs (dressing room). I told the umpires, this had to stop. I don't want to mention the word but it falls in that bracket. I would never do something like that on the cricket field."
Former India captains Sunil Gavaskar and Sourav Ganguly were also critical of Smith's actions.
"I don't think that was in the spirit of the game. We have to see what the ICC and match referee do. I have not seen other earlier incidents but I saw it clearly when Smith did that today, he was clearly gesturing to the dressing room," Gavaskar told NDTV.
Ganguly also demanded action from authorities.
"The umpires and match referee must ensure this doesn't happen in future," Ganguly said.