This week, ex-players and fans howled down the decision to send Steve Smith home, ahead of a frantic six months of cricket. The furore is laughable.
The online criticism has ranged from suggestions Australia aren’t taking the tour of Sri Lanka seriously, to claims they’re looking for readymade excuses for a series loss, to allegations Smith is putting up the white flag.
Retired Sri Lankan batsman Mahela Jayawardene tweeted that he was “surprised” Smith was leaving, questioning whether any other Australian would have done the same.
Ex-Australian players Michael Slater, Michael Clarke and Dean Jones all queried the selection decision on Twitter too.
Give it a rest. This is a bilateral ODI series, which has as close to zero meaning as you will find in modern cricket.
The next World Cup is nearly three years away, and next year’s Champions Trophy 50-over tournament will be played on English pitches – nothing like the dustbowls prepared in Sri Lanka.
There have been suggestions Australia need to salvage some pride with a win in this series, after being doused 3-0 in the Tests.
Yes, a series victory would be nice. But it won’t go close to making up for the Test debacle. What can do that is dominating quality opponents Pakistan and South Africa in six Tests this summer, then being competitive in the four Tests in India next February and March.
To achieve this, Australia need their captain and best batsman fresh, hence why he’s been sent home to rest.
Playing ten Tests in five months is a lofty order for a cricketer. Doing so against quality opposition, as your side’s captain and key player, is especially challenging.
Add in the fact that Smith is captain in all three formats, and that he has to fly across the globe to South Africa next month for another limited-overs tour, and it astounds me how many people are bagging the decision to give him a break.
What makes the criticism even more peculiar is that his situation is nothing new. Australia have been rotating key players in and out of their limited-overs sides for years.
It’s hard to criticise this policy, given Australia are the world’s number one ranked ODI side, the reigning World Cup champions, and have lifted that trophy four out of the last five tournaments.
International cricketers who are automatic choices in all three formats are in particular need of being well managed. Australia have only three such players – spearhead Mitchell Starc, David Warner, and Smith.
Starc doesn’t need a spell, having only recently returned from seven months on the sidelines. Warner seems to want to play every possible fixture available, so Australia need to be wary of burning him out.
Ditto for Smith. He is ranked the best batsman in Test cricket, an asset so rare and valuable that he simply must be protected, even from himself and his own competitive drive at times. Australia’s focus, justifiably, is on having him primed for the Tests against Pakistan, South Africa and India.
Each of those three series have deep meaning and vast importance to Australian cricket. The same cannot be said of the coloured clothing cricket going on in Sri Lanka.
brasstax
Guest
Okay I'll stick my neck out and say this. Warner will become the Captain post the 4 tests in India. From what I have seen of his body language on the field when the chips are down, I think whatever little stomach he does have for leadership will be dismantled after a likely 3-1 or 4-0 whitewash.
Rocko
Roar Guru
Tough run in the IPL? Diddums needed a break? Seriously not a good look with a live series.
twodogs
Guest
Above comment is speculative of course.
Don Freo
Guest
No way Starc wants a break. He has missed so much with injury, while he's fit and firing, he wants to play. The only break he wants is to break those stumps...and those records.
twodogs
Guest
Dunno if it's 'slamming' Pappa, he's a real good player and decent bloke. Sometimes it's not enough. I'll take a stab and just say his head cannot handle it all. No shame in that. Geez, I can't handle my wife asking me what I want for dinner when I've just had breakkie! But crikey can she cook. Warner is the leader of that pack. He runs on different petrol. Similar octane to SK Warne. Smith has a weakness which is his strength - mildness - beta male. Not outwardly strong but courage underneath. Warners strength conversely is also his weakness - alpha male. Outwardly strong but can lack substance underneath. Nature dictates the alpha wins always. Warner is the natural leader of that pack. Therefore he will soon be full-time captain. They all know it.
howzyapappa
Guest
That would be fine by me
howzyapappa
Guest
that was well said. Give him a break I say. Let us support him rather than trying to think too hard about why he is going home. Clarke got crucified in social media basically for being flamboyant and having hot girlfriends and just as hot cars. Also he did not hit the turps with the team and this made him unpopular. When he retired I was waiting to hear all of these awful stories about him and why he was seen as such a bad person. There were a handful of stories that came out but nothing of any real consequence. It was essentially a relentless campaign to destroy his character. Then Smith inherited the team and he was the greatest thing that ever happened to the team. We were undefeated for 12 games and were not expected to defeat NZ. Yet we did under his leadership. Now he has taken them to the subcontinent and lost. To be realistic we have not won over there since we had McGrath and Warne. A couple of handy players. Back then I think we won 10 from 12 and drew one in Asia. Very impressive. But it might be a while before we have 2 bowling spearheads in the team. That was just a golden time for us. I don't think his captaincy is so crash hot but I think it could be. Everyone deserves a chance. Let's not do in social media what a lot of people did with Clarke. Why not be Aussie and support our mates.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
My whinge is that Smith went home for a break but Starc is still there bowling his heart out. He is the one who should have been given a break.
armchair expert
Guest
You're on the money with Greg Chappell's silent approval Don, he had a break as player/captain for the whole 1981 ashes tour.
armchair expert
Guest
Good work Nudge.
howzyapappa
Guest
it was only a matter of time. We love to slam our own sportsmen / sportswomen. Particularly our captains. We always know better apparently. Clarke copped it for years. Smith was the darling for a while. It was never going to last. We have mastered the art of bringing our own down and their will never be anybody good enough for us.
JoM
Guest
Wouldn't be surprised. The problem is that he is either being slammed or being made fun of all over the world for a decision that wasn't his and he can't say anything and just has to cop it.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Gideon Haigh reckoned on offsiders that Lehmann tapped Smith on the shoulder and told him to go home to clear his head.
Don Freo
Guest
If there are batsmen around with greater skills than Steve Smith, don't sit on the secret. Let the selectors know. If you are talking about other skills (such as brain surgery or carpentry), I just don't see sports sponsors shelling out a $million for that.
Martyn
Guest
How weak is this guy?. Gets paid over $1 million/years to play cricket. Then wants to rest before more cricket. Other in the true work force get paid far less but have higher skilled jobs and work 12 months of the year.
mattyb
Guest
Must say I totally disagree Ronan. Smith is the captain and should have played. He's actually a young and inexperienced captain which means he should definitely be playing. Probably had something to do with Lehmann
twodogs
Guest
Geez 1st&10, my initial reply got edited out! Too many inferences to swearing. Yeah Warners had his moments though he looks like he's now treading the right path.
Perry Bridge
Guest
It's presented as a management decision - and if purely that - then management are clearly at fault for inserting him into the captaincy role of all 3 sides. Surely then - this is an open admission by management that that is too big an ask (at very least for this individual and at least at this point in his personal development). And if that's the case - then the management can't ignore the impact of the moonlighting commitments (IPL) of Smith. So - even if Smith wanted to stay on (but he had been showing bad signs during the test series) - the actions of team management and some of their public justification surely draws questions about the path to this point in time that team management themselves seem to have blundered into.
Pom in Oz
Roar Guru
I don't think Smith wanted to go home. It was a management decision, wasn't it?
Perry Bridge
Guest
The fact that Smith and perhaps the selectors agitated to make him T20 captain (and thus captain in all 3 formats) - not only demoting Aaron Finch from captaincy but pushing the then world #1 T20 player out of the XI, and that Smith then went to the IPL, it really looks feeble for him to be crying tired and going for a rest now. If doing all 3 jobs is too much then re-instate Finch for the T20s, and don't be such a money grubbing greed merchant and opt out of the IPL. The captain of Australia compromising that role and still finding time for the IPL is like the Prime Minister of Australia taking time out because of his media commitments or the like. Do the job you've been employed to do. Seeing Mr O'Connell making excuses for him is average at best - simply because the author here has only drilled in on the moment rather than the broader context. The broader context HAS been raised by commentary from the Australian camp about how tough it is being captain of all 3 formats - - simple solution, revert back to what we had. Simples.