Is the time right for Michael Clarke to relinquish the Australian captaincy on a permanent basis?
With Clarke himself raising doubts about any sort of playing future, the thought of no longer being skipper should be at the forefront of his mind.
After such a mentally draining three weeks, and a physically draining few months, his mind and body are in need of rest and repair. All his energies should be focussed on complete and total healing, without the burden of captaincy, and all of the commitments that come with it.
Fading into the background for a while would be no bad thing.
While the World Cup is at the forefront of most minds this Australian summer, talk of the 2015 Ashes is never far away, and is of far greater concern to the cricket purist anyway. With much of our line-up still fragile, Clarke is needed as a batsmen first and foremost, and a leader second.
While there is still something of a leadership vacuum among the current Test playing group, which is forever in a state of flux these days, the obvious candidates are the current vice-captain Brad Haddin, Steve Smith and David Warner.
Despite Warner’s form since his return to the side in England last year (1690 runs at 62.6, with eight centuries), he is not the right man for the job. Still too boorish, even as he matures, we should applaud and enjoy his destruction at the top of the order without asking for anything more.
Vice-captain Haddin has always had his critics, and continues to do so thanks to a lean run with the bat. With just 188 runs at an average of 17.1 this calendar year, it doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, and rarely do 37-year-olds have much upside at the elite level.
That said, Haddin’s off-field leadership is highly valued, and with other spots in the team looking more vulnerable than his, he doesn’t look remotely like being in the selectors gun.
In fact, if Darren Lehmann and company are looking for a short-term captaincy replacement until Clarke resumes his position, be it for one or two Tests, or even the entire Indian series, then Haddin should be the man. The Test captaincy is not something that should be projected forward on a trial basis to see if it’s a good fit for someone.
In any case, if the captain is unavailable, the vice-captain is there to step into the breach until he returns.
However, if Clarke makes the decision to step aside, Steve Smith is the only viable candidate for the position, combining present and future needs. Just because there are a dearth of alternatives doesn’t mean he isn’t the perfect man for the job.
Since his return to the Australian Test side in India last March, Smith has scored 1490 runs at a rock solid average of 51.4, securing his place in the side beyond measure.
While that Indian series was the unquestioned playing and political nadir for this current Australian set-up, Smith’s character and courage were a bright spark among the gloom. He offered resistance and resilience in a team sorely lacking both, and his maturity shone through.
I wrote after that series that he had shown the stomach for a fight, and the talent to succeed when others were failing. His reputation has only grown since.
Like many before him, Smith has also thrived once assured of a place in the side – 779 runs at 77.9 in 2014 attest to that.
While some would argue that he is too young, and there is no need to burden him with captaincy while in career best form, everything we’ve seen from him in the last two years tells us that he will rise again under the responsibility.
Yes, he would be the youngest captain since the ill-fated Kim Hughes reign during a period of extreme turmoil in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but this is no reason to shy away from the decision.
There is far more off-field support these days than ever before (some would say too much), and coach Darren Lehmann provides strong leadership.
Smith would be an inventive and instinctive captain in the Michael Clarke mould, not as conservative or defensive as Steve Waugh, nor likely to let the game drift away as Ricky Ponting did too many times due to lack of imagination.
Michael Clarke has led Australia, the cricket team and the nation, through arguably the most emotionally difficult period in the game’s history. As a leader, he’s proven his worth many times over. He need not do any more. As a player, he is still very much required.
Should Clarke resign from the captaincy, or hold onto it as long as he harbours intentions to play at Test level again? It’s a question that may well have several right responses, but it needs to be asked, and right now.
Steve Smith might just be the answer to it all.
Jules
Guest
The man who set a field with 9 slips, conservative and defensive? The guy who got Gilchrist to open in one-dayers, conservative and defensive? He may not have had the flair of Clarke, but was very attacking and prepared to try things -- more than Taylor or Ponting. You massively undermined the rest of your decent article with a complete mis-reading of Steve Waugh's captaincy.
Craig Watson
Guest
I agree. We all want Clarke to lead us thru the transition period. There is the chance now that he will not because of his degenerative back complaint. So what then?
Craig Watson
Guest
As a cricket purist of many years standing I regret deeply that I only have 15 more days of test cricket to savor this summer. Then we are all fed a steady diet of, firstly the 'see and smash' T20 and then 50 over cricket, for something like the next four months. Then we purists have to wait a further two months before we again have our appetites sated by the latest Ashes sojourn to England.
spruce moose
Guest
It's not AA sheek. He can acknowledge they are career ending or not acknowledge it. It won't change the fact he gets injured all the time.
Craig Watson
Guest
BHT: Fair enough I stand corrected on . Unless I am mistaken, Smith has already captained NSW to a shield win...and did he not score a ton in that match? He also has extensive experience leading in the short formats. Smithy was playing first grade at 17, state cricket at 19 and made his international debut in 2010. So the bloke has plenty of cricket under his belt for someone so young. If might have been too big an ask to bring him for the Indian tests... but I believe the selectors should start his tenure in the ODI tri-series.
Cameron Rose
Expert
Australia under Steve Waugh was unquestionably dominant, and thus won as they like as often as they liked. They played and acted like bullies. Yet, like any bully, once they encountered resistance is when the true colours emerge, and that's when Waugh, particularly in the field, was shown up as deeply defensive and conservative. Getting rid of nightwatchmen was one of my favourite things though, that's for sure.
Cameron Rose
Expert
Clarke's ability to keep the team competitive despite a frequently changing and often out-of-form line-up has been one of his greatest triumphs. I certainly agree with your last point, and the one on Haddin is certainly valid.
Cameron Rose
Expert
Thanks for the comment Mitcher, I've responded just above with some of my thoughts. Steve Waugh certainly talked a big game, had Glenn McGrath offering up 5-0 predictions at all times, and several others weren't short of a word either. But when the crunch came (and it rarely did, let's be honest), I believe Waugh was found wanting. I felt he understood the mechanics of being a captain, but never had the feel or flair that Clarke does.
Cameron Rose
Expert
We have to remember that Waugh had one of the all-time great teams under him, so rarely had to do anything except point and steer. Yet, when he was under pressure, his first instinct was always to the conservative. My main take-out from Waugh's time as captain was that he popularized setting the field right back to a specialist batsman when there was a tail-ender at the other end, waiting for the specialist bat to take a single. Thus we would endure four or five balls of nothingness, just to get one or two at the tail. Disgraceful, disgusting, negative captaincy, especially with the bowlers and team he had under him.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
How can you say that about Lyon? Sure prior to the first Test's performance he'd hardly cemented himself, but he is a developing spinner with enough good performances in the bank to at the very least keep him in the discussion for the team. No way in the world can you write him off totally for the future, even if he dudded for the rest of this series.
Professor Rosseforp
Guest
There may be a memory of Waugh letting things "drift" when captaining a side, e.g. not shifting the field, not encouraging bowlers to try a different approach, or persisting with tired bowlers who were unlikely to break through. This may not have been the case for the players, but as a spectator, it's the impression I got from time to time. I am happy to accept that Steve Waugh's cricket brain was much better than mine, though!
The Bush
Roar Guru
I'm not put off by Smith's age/inexperience, we need Clarke's batting whilst we transition Watson and Rogers outta the team - that'd the main reason we need for another year or two. In those circumstances he may as well captain as too! I agree that Smith has good potential and I'm sure he'll be more of a natural than Ponting was...
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Haddin is the obvious choice being the vice captain but does his form warrant it. His batting is well down on other contenders and his keeping hasn't been the tops either. Do we keep Haddin solely because he is the best captaincy material or do we look at a new captain, Smith. I would play Smith as VC for the next two tests then maybe as captain for the fourth.
bigbaz
Roar Guru
Bah-humbug, Next you'll be telling us Santa doesn't exist.
sheek
Roar Guru
Hi Cameron, Clarke has said he has to face the reality he might not play for Australia again. That's not a given. Not yet anyway. I think he is being unbelievably honest. I believe the first step in solving a problem is to admit you have a problem. Similarly, the fist step for Clarke to overcome his run of injuries, is to acknowledge they might be career ending. Confronting your greatest fear is usually the first step towards rehabilitation, in whatever situation it might be. Clarke is displaying an open honestly most of us wouldn't possess in a similar situation. It's a good lesson to observe. I certainly hope he might overcome his injuries & continue for another one-two years.
spruce moose
Guest
Smart article Age shouldn't be an issue. Graeme Smith captained South Africa at 23 and did the job with honours for 100 odd tests. Steve Smith to be captain. He is in form, he has leadership experience and he doesn't have a hot head like Warner.
AdamS
Roar Guru
Is there another Steve Waugh who captained Australia? The one I remember invented 3 day tests, killed off nightwatchmen and set an eight man slips cordon. Or does "conservative and defensive" mean not what I think it means?
Will
Guest
The issue with Smith is that he is not that far established as a batsmen. Indeed, only the last 12 months has he nailed down a spot. Ponting captained at 28 in the ODI team, but he had been in the system as a batsmen for 4 years.
Will
Guest
Well that settles it. Roar's resident doctor has handed down his report.
Will
Guest
Silly article. Why would Clarke hand-over the test captaincy? If he is fit he plays and he is captain. Captaincy is over-rated - I have never seen a captain win with a poor batting lineup or a poor bowling attack. Clarke is not a messiah as captain, he lost 4-0 in India, and 3-0 in England. The sooner people get over the idea that Clarke is a genius the sooner we can get onto the things that actually matter. That is, finding good bowlers and good batsmen. Haddin is captain if is playing because he is an experienced campaigner and is well respected. Clarke is no loss in the ODI format. So it may actually be a blessing in disguise if he doesnt play the world cup.