Steve Smith who was spotted at the top of the ICC test ranking has been with his exploiting performance in the Test. Now he was seen as the top-scorer in the Ashes 2019 with 671 runs in five innings so far.
Before, Smith was banned for 12-months for ball-tampering and further suspended from the leadership role which runs out at the end of March next year.
Former Australia captain Mark Taylor, who was part of the Cricket Australia board that handed Steve Smith a one-year ban, wanted Smith to lead the Australian team once again after Tim Paine finishes as Test captain.
“I believe Smith will captain Australia again. I was on the Cricket Australia board that determined the penalties for Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft over the events of Cape Town and have no doubt he will be a better leader next time around because of the very harsh lessons he learned.” – Mark Taylor said.
After Steve Smith made his way out, Tim Paine took the captaincy of the team and got praises for the way he led the team in the Ashes at Old Trafford last weekend.
Further, Paine was also widely criticized for his decision-making in the third Test at Headingley where Australia lost over England. Taylor feels Cricket Australia should back Paine for the upcoming home summer series against Pakistan and New Zealand.
Usman Khawaja and Travis Head have been seen having the potential to lead the team, but neither of them performed well in England while Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are bowlers, who rarely become captains.
“To me, it’s not a matter of whether he (Smith) becomes captain again on April 1. It doesn’t have to happen that quickly. But I’d like to think when Paine is finished as Test captain — whether that’s in six months’ time or two or three years — he would be a candidate to lead the side again.” – Mark Taylor said.
Meanwhile, another Australian former captain, Ian Chappell, has also backed Smith to again the role.
“I think the problem for Australia will be there’s no one else I can see to captain that side. he wouldn’t have any problem with it at all. If the hierarchy at Cricket Australia has an issue with him ever being captain again, they would have given him a life ban, wouldn’t they?” – Ricky Ponting said last month.
Tim Paine has issued a frightening warning about Australia's star batter Steve Smith – he's getting better https://t.co/aURpCDydO2 #Ashes pic.twitter.com/ckxfn2Faac
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) September 9, 2019
