Calcutta: More conscious now, perhaps, than ever before about projecting the right image, the Rajasthan Royals are set to give captain Steve Smith the boot.
Till late on Sunday, there was nothing official, but The Telegraph learns that Ranjit Barthakur, the Royals' executive chairman, and Manoj Badale have been left with no choice.
The Royals can ill afford to have a player - let alone the franchise's captain - whose every move would be scrutinised by millions.
Today, the 28-year-old Smith stands for just about everything that is wrong.
Like the Chennai Super Kings, the Royals are returning to the IPL after serving a two-year suspension owing to the scandals during the 2013 edition of the cash-generating T20 league.
The IPL is the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)'s most valuable property and has been the trigger for the shortest-format leagues across the globe.
For the record, the Royals put out a statement which included the following: "We have been made aware of the controversy... and await further instructions from the BCCI... we will not tolerate any actions that are unfair by definition and bring disrepute to the game... our zero tolerance policy applies to everyone..."
"Zero tolerance" being applicable to "everyone" is significant.
Smith had been retained by the Royals ahead of the IPL's "mega" auction on January 27-28 and handed back the captaincy even though some in the franchise may have thought of Ajinkya Rahane as well.
Once Smith gets the boot, Rahane would be the favourite to captain in IPL XI.
Of course, a question which must be troubling the Royals is whether the IPL will allow Smith to be replaced despite him not being injured.
However, if the IPL needs to set a precedent, then so be it. The circumstances, after all, are without precedent.
In fact, it would be in the IPL's interest too to be rid of Smith, who has not only shamed his country (prompting even Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to condemn the ball tampering), but also the sport.
The damage can never be repaired and, sadly, Smith may never again be the outstanding batsman that he has been for some years.
Smith needs to memorise what Dave Richardson, a former International who is the International Cricket Council (ICC)'s chief executive, had to say: "Winning is important, but not at the expense of the spirit of the game which is intrinsic and precious to the sport. We have to raise the bar across all areas."
Boos welcomed Smith to the crease at Newlands, on Sunday, and with morale crushed Australia quickly disintegrated to hand South Africa a splendid win and an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the four-Test contest.
A terrific series has been more than marred by ugly happenings, but what happened on Saturday with Cameron Bancroft and Smith taking centre stage, will be hard to match.
"Look, if Smith can plot ball tampering in a crucial Test match, nothing stops him from doing just that in a must-win IPL fixture...
"If found out, where would that leave the Royals? Don't forget the franchise is making a comeback," somebody closely associated with the IPL told this Reporter.
Meanwhile, as the "leadership group" was in the know, it's to be seen how the Sunrisers Hyderabad view Australia's regular vice-captain David Warner's role in the ball tampering.
Warner is an IPL-winning captain for the Sunrisers.
Like Smith, Warner was removed from his position, resulting in Tim Paine becoming the stand-in captain.
But while Smith and Bancroft have been mildly punished by the ICC, Warner has been spared.
Very, very poor decisions by the ICC one must point out.
