IPL 2018: 3 players who can replace Steve Smith if he doesn't play the tournament

Steve Smith is at the centre of a massive ball tampering controversy that ensued during the ongoing Test series between Australia and South Africa. Opener Cameron Bancroft was caught on the big screen using a foreign substance (read Sandpaper) to alter the condition of the ball.

The player later admitted to the charges but things took a turn when skipper Steve Smith admitted that the 'leadership group' decided to actually 'cheat'. Smith's admittance caused a massive furore in the cricketing world.

While we wait for Cricket Australia to complete the internal investigation, Smith has already stepped down as the Rajasthan Royals captain and his availability in the lucrative T20 league also hinges on the decision made by IPL governing council, who are waiting for CA to complete its investigations.

So, here we'll have a look at three unsold players who can replace Steve Smith if he does not play this year's IPL.

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#3 Alex Hales, England

Hales brings a lot to the table as a T20 specialist

An explosive player with all the necessary ingredients required to be a marquee T20 batsman, Alex Hales is a complete package. On his day, Hales can be a brutal marauder of a cricket ball, testified by his breathtaking 114 in a tricky run-chase against Sri Lanka in a World T20 game.

A barren run of form during the T20I tri-series back in January was one of the pivotal reasons for him being unsold at the auctions. Hales recently featured in the PSL 2018, where he played a crucial role with a swashbuckling 46 for the eventual champions Islamabad United in Qualifier 1.

T20I Career Stats: Matches: 52; Runs: 1456; Avg: 31.65; 50s/100s: 7/1; S/R: 136.33

#2 Martin Guptill, New Zealand

An imperious T20 batsman-Martin Guptill

One of the few batsmen to have scored two hundreds in T20I cricket, Martin Guptill, on his day, can take the bowlers to the cleaners.

Guptill's biggest strength is his fearless stroke-play against both fast and slow bowlers, making him a difficult customer to counter. He went unsold in this year's IPL auctions but this might just be the opening the Kiwi opener wanted.

Guptill, with his breathtaking blitz at the top coupled with his top-notch fielding, will be an asset for Rajasthan Royals in the absence of Smith. Though Guptill hasn't displayed his talent in the previous seasons of the IPL, this might just be the opportunity that launches Guptill's IPL career.

T20I Career Stats: Matches: 75; Runs: 2271; Avg: 34.41; 50s/100s: 14/2; S/R: 132.88

#1 Jonny Bairstow, England

Bairstow has been in scintillating form in white ball cricket

One of the most improved batsmen in recent times, Jonny Bairstow, especially with the kind of form he's in, can lit up the IPL this year.

A regular in the longer format of the game and with Jos Buttler as the specialist keeper in white ball cricket, Bairstow had to earn his spot as a specialist batsman, which he has ably done with a prolific 2017/18 season which culminated with a record-smashing hundred (104 off 69 balls) against New Zealand.

In a move that raised eyebrows, Bairstow (Base Price 1.5 crores), was overlooked in the 2018 IPL auctions but if he does get selected, it might prove to be a golden chance for the Yorkshire man to prove his worth as a T20 powerhouse.

T20I Career Stats: Matches: 23; Runs: 329; Avg: 25.31; 50s/100s: 2/0; S/R: 120.07