It has been nearly three years since the ball-tampering incident in South Africa rocked the cricketing world. The culprits of the incident - Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were given their sentences (12 months ban for Smith and Warner, 6 month ban for Bancroft) and the trio served them with dignity. Now the world of cricket has moved on and Smith and Warner have once again become an integral part of the Australian cricket team.
Smith has been in sensational form with the bat for the past one year in international cricket - and hence the questions keep surrounding Cricket Australia - is it time to give the captaincy arm band back to Smith?
Former England captain Michael Vaughan said that while Smith’s T20 form does not justify him being named as captain, Australia should definitely use him as a captain in ODIs and Tests whenever there is an opportunity.
“In T20 cricket is the one format in which Steve Smith is in the side of the format. It is not the form where he demands to be in the team all the time,” Vaughan said on Cricbuzz.
“But if there was ever an opportunity with Finch in the 50-over game or Tim Paine in Test cricket - and Paine will certainly lead Australia up to the next year’s Ashes. But if Paine or Finch picks an injury, I have no question in my mind that Steve Smith should be named as the captain,” Vaughan added.
{{/usCountry}}“But if there was ever an opportunity with Finch in the 50-over game or Tim Paine in Test cricket - and Paine will certainly lead Australia up to the next year’s Ashes. But if Paine or Finch picks an injury, I have no question in my mind that Steve Smith should be named as the captain,” Vaughan added.
{{/usCountry}}“Keeping him out due to the Cape Town situation which happened many, many years ago - I don’t understand that. If they think that he is a better player by not being a captain and he is a better individual not to have the added responsibility, I would accept that. But you only need to see what he did with the bat when he was the captain and he was firing on all cylinders.
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“He is not an individual whose captaincy affects his batting. It is just about figuring out who is the better leader in the group, who is the better tactician, who could help Australia with a tactical change in the middle. I think Steve Smith probably would.
“I think they are overthinking it - they are looking at what happened a few years ago - and thinking if everyone has moved on. Of course, everyone has moved on from ball tampering incident - we have all forgotten it. The game moves on really fast. If there is an opportunity arises in ODIs or Tests, then Steve Smith definitely be Australia captain,” Vaughan signed off.