You're paid to win, not play: Smith talks of CA pressure before ball-tampering scandal

Banned former Australian captain Steve Smith Wednesday said Cricket Australia executives James Sutherland and Pat Howard played a key role in spreading the toxic "win at all costs" culture in the team that led to the infamous ball-tampering scandal.

Smith is serving a one-year ban for his role in the scandal that forced a review of Australia's cricket culture.

"I think back to Hobart when we lost there against South Africa (November 2016) and it was our fifth straight loss in Test cricket I think after three Tests in Sri Lanka. And I remember James Sutherland and Pat Howard coming into the rooms there and actually saying 'We don't pay you to play, we pay you to win'," the 29-year-old Smith told 'Fox Cricket' host Adam Gilchrist in an interview.

"So, for me, that was I think a little bit disappointing to say. We don't go out there to try and lose games of cricket, we go out there to try and win and play the best way we can."