Calcutta: Kapil Dev, among the most inspirational of captains and a World Cup winner, spoke to The Telegraph from Hyderabad on Saturday afternoon.

The interview focused on Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft all of whom are out of international and even domestic cricket in Australia for a period of between 9-12 months.

Kapil (59), by the way, is a former coach of India as well.

Excerpts...

Q Now that the crying from Sydney to Johannesburg is over, what are your thoughts on the happenings over the past week?

A My first thought is that if the next generation of cricketers can learn from the mistakes of the present-day ones then the game will continue to move forward... What shocked me is that it wasn't only one cricketer (Bancroft) who was into ball tampering, but it was a collective effort with the captain and vice-captain involved. That really shocked me.

Q You played a lot against the Australians...

A Yes, which is why I was shocked at the much wider involvement, not just that of Bancroft... The Australians play very hard, don't give an inch, but they are good people to play against. Good competitors.

Q Did you watch Smith's press conference in Sydney, with his father Peter standing behind him for moral support?

A The world saw Smith and his father... Look, everybody makes mistakes, but my respect for those who admit to mistakes is higher. Smith has accepted he was wrong. Now, one should move on, allow Smith too to move on.

Q Your take on cheating?

A I don't wish to compare ball tampering with other things which have happened in cricket, but cheating is cheating... Any form of cheating will invite punishment. I suppose the severity of the punishment handed out to Smith, Warner and Bancroft has hassled many... The next generation needs to be more responsible.

Q Surely, you never had to alter the condition of the ball...

A The answer is till very late in my career, I didn't know what ball tampering was all about. So, there was never any question of taking that route. In any case, I was very happy with the skill I had... But, yes, I think the relevant law (41.3) needs to be revisited as the ball gets rolled in a particular way and gets thrown in a certain manner. One side is, of course, kept shiny... I learnt about reverse swing more than a decade after my India debut. Today, the bowlers work on it from Day I.

Q Can ball tampering ever end or will some continue to risk everything?

A As I've pointed out, the law needs to be looked at and all dimensions taken into account.

Q Given the quantum of punishment meted out to the trio, has Cricket Australia (CA) set an example because it actually wanted to or was it influenced by the outrage expressed by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the media?

A An example has been set... Actually, the media hands out the biggest punishment: Look at the way it has treated the Big Two - Smith and Warner. The media certainly influences.

Q Warner has admitted he may never again play for Australia...

A Well, if Warner feels that guilty, then maybe he won't. It's not for me to say.

Q Darren Lehmann is stepping down, but it's still difficult to imagine that he was totally in the dark about the ball-tampering mischief...

A When even Smith said that the head coach wasn't involved, why force a question mark? However, if he was so ignorant, then it's a very clear indication that there's a gulf between the way he thinks and operates and the way the team does.

Q The International Cricket Council (ICC) only banned Smith for one Test besides a monetary fine, while Bancroft got away with a match-fee specific sanction. Despite being the vice-captain, Warner wasn't even called for a hearing... It was a joke when you contrast that with what CA handed out...

A I'm not a part of the ICC and I'm not sure how the Code of Conduct has been drawn up... Any Code can only serve as a guideline, it is up to the players to behave... Cricket may not be a gentleman's game today, but ethics do matter... When Trevor Chappell bowled underarm, on the instructions of brother Greg, he didn't breach any law. However, it wasn't ethical and against the spirit of the game. The law was, as a result, changed.

Q What next for Australian cricket and cricket in general?

A Both have to move on and the lessons must be learnt. Cricket and the sport in Australia have to look ahead positively, not keep going back to that unfortunate day in Cape Town.

Q Finally... How is your golf going? Some words on Tiger Woods's comeback too...

A Very good, thank you... It's just great that Tiger is back. It's not about whether he wins or loses, it's all about such an inspirational figure getting back on the golf course.