New Delhi, March 29 (IANS): Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar on Wednesday backed the Cricket Australia's ban on former skipper Steve Smith, deputy David Warner and opener Cameron Bancroft in a ball tampering scandal.

Sachin, who was misjudged for the same offence during India's tour of South Africa in 2001, but later given a clean chit by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on the ground that he was "cleaning the ball without the umpire's permission rather than tampering", maintained that the game should be played in its purest form.

"Cricket has been known as a gentleman's game. It's a game that I believe should be played in the purest form," Sachin wrote on Twitter.

"Whatever has happened is unfortunate but the right decision has been taken to uphold the integrity of the game. Winning is important but the way you win is more important," he added.

Following investigations by Cricket Australia, Smith and Warner were on Wednesday banned for 12 months each and Bancroft for nine months.

Subsequently, Warner and Smith were also banned by the Indian Premier League for the upcoming edition of the Twenty20 cash-rich franchise-based meet in India.