Cricket: Former Australian captain Steve Smith's surprise return to TV

Australian cricketer Steve Smith has returned to the public crease in a promotional campaign for telco Vodafone.

In a carefully choreographed advertisement entitled "gutsy calling", Smith has delivered a further mea culpa for his actions in the ball-tampering scandal at Cape Town which sent Australian cricket spiralling into a moral abyss.

Smith's confessed everything he'd dreamed of - and was part of - was falling to pieces, and he was in a dark space.

Smith says he recovered by being up front and taking responsibility.

It's uncertain whether Smith was paid for his 'elite honesty'.

The world's third ranked test batsman has been playing for his Sydney grade team Sutherland while he serves his suspension.