With Michael Clarke in some doubt for the Boxing Day Test with a hamstring injury, it’s worth asking who will replace him as captain of the Test side when he retires?
Though Clarke probably won’t hang up the bat for five to six years, it is always good starting thinking about and planning for the future.
Previous Australian captains have included the big names and legends of Australian cricket like Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh, Mark Taylor and Allan Border – some of the greatest players ever to wear the Baggy Green.
Historically the captain of a cricket team has always been a batsman. The only gun bowler captains from recent times I can recall are Shaun Pollock and Andrew Flintoff.
The only current Test captain that isn’t a batsman is Darren Sammy from the West Indies. Two other Test captains are wicketkeepers MS Dhoni, from cricket-mad India, and Mushfiqur Rahim, from Bangladesh.
However, of Australia’s batsmen, no one is really putting their hand up at the moment.
Michael Hussey will be long retired by the time Clarke jumps or is pushed, and Shane Watson is the same age as Clarke. There is no chance either of them will become full time captain of the Australian cricket team.
That leaves the main contenders to be the next Australian captain as David Warner, Phil Hughes, Usman Khawaja and Matthew Wade, unless someone else can burst onto the Test arena and make an impact.
I did not include Ed Cowan because, like Watson, Cowan is around the same age as Michael Clarke and I’m not so sure how long Cowan will last in the Test side at the moment. He is doing a decent job opening the batting but has been a little inconsistent.
Even though Khawaja is not in the Test side I still included him because he will surely be in the Test side by the time Clarke retires – most likely as Hussey’s successor.
Not one of Warner, Hughes, Khawaja or Wade have had real captaincy experience, although I recall David Warner captaining the Sydney Thunder against the Melbourne Stars last year where he made a brilliant century and got the Thunder over the line.
Warner was tipped to become T20 captain last year but Cricket Australia pulled off a surprising move and instead picked George Bailey, who is a very good player but not the greatest at T20.
Cricket Australia said they had picked him due to his high quality leadership skills, which created some controversy and a lot of people saying Cricket Australia made the wrong call.
In the T20 World Cup this year it looked like picking Bailey as captain was the wrong call, as they had to leave T20 gun David Hussey out of the starting XI.
Recently Usman Khawaja captained the Chairman’s XI in a three day tour match against Sri Lanka. The match ended in a draw, with the Chairman’s XI on top and Khawaja making 56.
For the Boxing Day Test, if Clarke does not pull up fit, the captaincy would more than likely go to Shane Watson, although David Warner and Michael Hussey would also have a good chance of being captain as well.
With my imaginary crystal ball, in six years’ time I see David Warner being the captain of the Test and One Day International sides.
So Roarers, if Clarke does not pull up fit for Boxing Day who should captain? And when Michael Clarke retires who should take the reins?
Whiteline
Guest
It wont be Steve Smith or David Warner - C'mon guys let's be serious. Smith should never play test cricket again. He's good at 20/20 and probably a good tennis player but test cricket? - sorry. Mr Warner isn't a figurehead, leader or spokesman. If he is, then he is certainly doing a good job at disguising it!!
DingoGray
Roar Guru
There's a hell of alot of "water to go under the bridge" so to say before this topic becomes and out and out discussion. Someone like maybe a Henry, Burns or someone maybe not even on the horizon yet.....
David
Guest
Phil Hughes or Matthew Wade for mine. If Paine gets into the side it will not be at Wade's expense (Paine may take over the gloves) but Wade is a real good batsmen and could be a top 5 bat in the next few years, just look at his recent few years in shield and his performance thus far with the bat. Wade from what i've seen has a good cricket brain and isn't afraid to try different approaches when keeping, so I reckon he could well be a vice captain or even captain in 4 or 5 years
Timmuh
Roar Guru
I doubt he would have senior players deliberately undermining him as though the Australian cricket captain was the leader of a political party.
Rhys
Guest
If Phil Hughes eventually does become Test captain I hope he has a better time of it than the last Hughes did back in the 80s.
Sideline Commentator
Guest
If Phil Hughes cements his place in the side over the next couple of years, as well as being Australia's best batsman, I see no reason why he would not be captaincy material. For one thing, his recent form adjustments demonstrate that he has the ability to learn, and employ, new elements of cricket in his game, a good trait for a captain. He also seems to have a level head and a good deal of determination, and assuming he stays in the team, by the time Clarke steps (or is pushed) down Hughes will have had a great deal of experience in the test arena. That said, there's a lot of 'if's in naming any potential future skipper.
ojg1997
Roar Rookie
I agree with you on Nathan Lyon he has the potential to become a good future captain. Not to sure about Cummins and Starc though
TheGenuineTailender
Roar Guru
Nathan Lyon captained South Australia early this season. Pat Cummins, if fit, could play well over 100 tests. Phil Hughes is definitely the most talented young batsman in the country and could well become a future great, he is also a product of Western Suburbs CC, just as the current captain is. Having said that, Mitchell Starc comes from Wests too, why not give him the captaincy as a right of passage for Wests players? Matthew Wade has likely got over a decade of test cricket ahead of him. We don't know the leadership qualities of Usman Khawaja or even a young Joe Burns. There's a lot of cricket between now and Clarke's retirement. I'm sure a successor will put their hand up between now and then.
matt h
Guest
I think the stand outs would be: 1. Mitchell Johnson. Imagine the team meetings. "I don't know why it swings, it just does". And Mitchell Starc "yeah that's right Mitch - I wonder mhy that happens..." 2. Peter Siddle. I could imagine some old Wetern Suburbs style face slapping in the dressing rooms. Biting the heads of raw cauliflowers, etc I'm pretty sure Tim Paine still has future Australian captain stamped on his forehead. But Warner and (believe it or not) Steve Smith could be in the frame down the track. Steve Smith has that classic Cameron White / George Bailey non-playing captain thing going.
Neuen
Roar Rookie
Shane Watson (with a tongue in the cheek) Cheers
Dan
Guest
Tim Paine -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
jamesb
Guest
"Who will replace Clarke when he retires?" I hope thats five or six years away!
ojg1997
Roar Rookie
Im not wishing Clarke into retirement, just thinking about the future
sledgeross
Guest
Steve Smith.
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
Awww geez, let the bloke get going in his current career rather than wish him into retirement. I have been a critic of Clarke but right now he is doing an excellent job. Further why "anoint the golden child" now? All that will achieve is putting more pressure on the bloke and start up the media frenzy. Why not wait until the time is closer and when all the facts are in?
B.A Sports
Agree Kev The next Australian captain isn't in the current side. As for Boxing Day, I don't see how anyone but Hussey could be captain (if Clarke is out). I know Watson is the VC. I don't know why he is and I think he has enough to worry about with his own form and just staying fit without making him captain.
Red Kev
Guest
Clarke is 31? Let's assume he has at least 4 more years in him. It is likely the next captain isn't in the side yet. Khawaja and Warner both have some captaincy experience, Tim Paine is still waiting to pounce if Wade bottles his chance as wicketkeeper and is captaincy material, plus the selectors could always do South Africa and pick a new guy and make him captain.