Ball tampering incident should not define Smith & Co: Rohit

The ball tampering incident should not define Steve Smith and his two fallen teammates, according to Indian batsman Rohit Sharma, who said images of the former Australia skipper being escorted at Johannesburg airport and his tearful media conference in Sydney "resonated" with him.

Smith today fought back tears as he claimed full responsibility for the ball-tampering scandal that destroyed his reputation, while David Warner and Cameron Bancroft also offered their apologies for the scandal that plunged Australian cricket into turmoil.

The developments in South Africa and Australia have not escaped Rohit's attention.

"The video of Steve Smith being escorted at the airport and his most recent press conference resonated with me. The spirit of the game is of utmost importance there's no denying that," Rohit wrote on his twitter handle.

The swashbuckling batsman added, "They made a mistake and they accepted it. It would be unfair of me to sit here and question the board's decision but they are great players and I don't think this should define them."