If Cricket Australia ever decides to make Steve Smith captain of the country’s senior men’s team again, it would be making the most foolish decision in the annals of the game.
Smith showed his character in South Africa in 2018, but with the passage of time, public memory does tend to get a bit blurry. Let’s look back on the reasons why he should never be given the honour of being skipper again.
The sandpaper scandal was the worst in Australian cricket history – a black mark that will remain for generations. I remember the incident as though it was yesterday and what struck me most was the casual way Smith reacted after the event.
At the press conference following the game, Smith seemed to be of the opinion that he would be suspended for a game and then the grass would be green, the sky would be blue and life would return to normal.
(STR/AFP/Getty Images)
He had just presided over one of the worst incidents in the history of the sport, allowing David Warner to push young batsman Cameron Bancroft into an act of cheating.
It’s generally agreed that Warner was the mastermind, but Smith was the boss and why wasn’t he calling the shots? That is the crucial question.
You can argue endlessly that all people make mistakes and that they should be forgiven, but that extends to some positions and not to others.
The captain of the Australian cricket team is second only to the prime minister of the day in this sports-mad country and if a man cannot take it seriously, then he should never be given the honour again.
It looks like the whole purpose of having a puff documentary about the team – which was released on Amazon – was to create the impression that the cricketers have undergone some kind of Damascene conversion and become the equivalent of the Dalai Lama.
And if Smith is at the helm, the chances of a return to the culture of old are much greater, for he demonstrated himself to be a weak leader who couldn’t put his foot down, provided that what was being done could’ve led to the team winning.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Smith is now 31 and he should realise that he was given the honour of a lifetime only to waste it. There should be no second chance for a person like him to sully Australian cricket’s reputation.
It does not matter who captains next, be it Pat Cummins or Josh Hazlewood. Neither has the attitude that Smith has – and that is all that counts.
Many bowlers have led Test teams to glory. There is no hard and fast rule that a batsman alone can handle the role. There was a myth that a wicketkeeper could not make a good fist of the role, but along came Adam Gilchrist and proved all the pundits wrong.
And then a man named MS Dhoni turned up and proved everyone wrong all over again. Tim Paine has done a decent job given the circumstances under which he had to take over and the type of talent he has under him.
You do not need a whiz to lead the team. During the days of Ian Botham, the man who led England was Mike Brearley: never a great batsman, but a very good leader. The late Frank Worrell was not the best batsman in the team either, but he was a father figure to many of his teammates and they would do anything for him.
Smith should quietly play out his remaining years and be grateful that he wasn’t banned for life for what he presided over in Newlands in 2018.
Rick Argent
Guest
I think you are correct, but for different reasons . Yes he's one of the best Batsmen Australia and the world has seen . However that foolish incident ,has certainly tainted his status ,he still has much to offer . Especially regarding 'On the run decisions ' for whom ever becimes Captain. I never really agreed with many Match decisions, he and Coaching came too ,infact pretty Non agressive ,in many circumstances . And while Im sure anyone of the lead Bowlers ,maybe upto the task. Unless anyone within close proximity of the Opposition's, Batsmen ,which means they need to be a Gun infielder too, I cant see a frontline Bowler as an adequate Captain. Id suggest maybe Labuchagne ? Young up and coming Superstar ,if not already, a saviour of the Aussie team in his own right . Hes already Blooded into International Cricket .
Mal
Guest
You are dead set kidding. The ban was one year from playing and two from captaincy. When does a ban ever get extended after it has been served? Never. And spare us the sanctimony. Players have been given lettuce leaf punishments for tampering and that's before we even get to England's 2005 Ashes side who got OBE's for the same thing. They even have written books about how they won. But sure we make the Aussie the scapegoat while turning a blind eye to the rest of the world.
Philip Musson
Guest
Great article, great points. A dark day in sporting history. Would Lance Armstrong be allowed back? Smith is lucky to be playing at all, so is Warner. Both names stain the team sheet.
Tracey
Guest
Everybody makes mistakes Steve Smith isn't the 1st player to screw up and he isn't the only Australian player to do something wrong he paid the price
Robert
Guest
As long as the media keep up with this type of criticism smith will never be captain again, to say it was the cricketing crime of the century is absolute rubbish. NowIam not condoning what happened,it was a breach of therules for that there can be no excuses, but to be publicly exacuted by the media, in my opinion was a greater crime,there has been far worse things in the cricketing world that have almost gone unnoticed. Anyway media,etc,unfortunately this is the world we now live in. Steve Smith captain again or not, I know you will do your talking with the bat.
Sheep
Guest
Faf Du Plesis was found guilty for ball tampering twice, each time he was fined his match fee but played the next game. Shahid Afridi literally bit the ball and got banned for two T20s. Chris Pringle admitted to scratching the ball with a bottle cap, but didn't receive any fine. I dont care whether he gets the captaincy or not, but stop making out like this incident stands alone as the worst thing that's ever happened in cricket. The ICC banned him for one game to be consistent with what they'd done to every other cricketer who had done it. Cricket Australia banned him for a year because of the public backlash. Public perception is a valid reason why he shouldn't be captain but the hyperbole around the incident itself is off the charts. Terrible incident, yes. But the worst ever as this author suggests? Please. Anyone who thinks that needs to stop blindly listening to the media and form their own opinions.
Eric messer
Guest
Should Smith be the Captain ? No way..........too weak to stand up the real problem Warner.......
Phil
Guest
The comment about the sandpaper incident is not the worst incident... The underarm incident still comes up commonly and NZ will never forget it...the sandpaper will die in time...
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
But the stain is still there...
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Ah yes. The Dalmiya Years. *shudder*
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Nope. Smith & Warner flushed Australia's reputation down the dunny. "Hard but fair" may have been unpopular with some, but it was a valid defense. Now it's gone forever and your playing the 'whatabout' card is a desperate and flailing measure. Why try and justify your actions against someone else's standards? And there was another disgrace with this affair. That being how Warner only got a 1 year ban when you consider his appalling disciplinary record. Andrew Symonds comparison anyone?
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Why do all the defenders usually forget to mention the fact that the miscreants lied about doing it?
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
"No brainer" is an overused term, but it's perfect for Smith regaining the captaincy. The sun rising in the west should be shorter odds than the gormless Smith ever getting the asterix again. There should be no second chance for a person like him to sully Australian cricket’s reputation. I agree completely, although I note that both the appalling Warner *and* Smith have been popping up as guest comms for a while now. Surely this should attract the Feds under PoCA? And I suspect I'm not the only one who suspects that the pair's punishment and pillorying would have been much greater if they weren't good ol' Sinney boys.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Didn't actually get this notification. This site is becoming more erratic!
Paul
Roar Guru
certainly a lot of bat hanging going on.
Peter Warrington
Guest
He's more likely to murder first slip at the moment
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
Author joker_in_the_pack offered this: “Smith should quietly play out his remaining years and be grateful that he wasn’t banned for life for what he presided over in Newlands in 2018.” and it is a good summary. Immature Smith has learned nothing, his recent stomping about on the crease waiting for India to come out after a break demonstrated that. Langer¹ and the ACB shoved a couple of the other donkeys out before the cameras and the media to excuse that: “Aw, that’s just Smiffy, he’s a bit essatric … hang on a minute [Hey! Media manager bloke – how do I say that word again?] … he’s a bit eccentric” “Eh? No I don’t know what it means.” The donkey does not deserve to be anywhere near the Australian cricket team. ¹ Justin Langer was a fabulous opener, full stop.
JGK
Roar Guru
The late Frank Worrell was not the best batsman in the team either, but he was a father figure to many of his teammates and they would do anything for him. For what it's worth, Worrell possibly was the best batsman in the team until Sobers came along.
JGK
Roar Guru
How does steve smith have the audacity to even believe he has the right to captain Australia again. Probably because his ban from the captaincy is over.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
I wasn't convinced he was a strong leader of people when he was captain - not just "not wanting to know about" the sandpaper plan on the day, but in the months and years leading up to that with the way Warner and Wade in particular were allowed to run riot as first-class fools on the field - and his actions this summer (Green as an example) illustrate to me that whilst he may covet the job, he hasn't earned it. He's said himself that he goes into a bubble and blocks everything out when preparing to bat - that may be good for his batting, but I would think it makes his off-field role as the leader redundant. If he is a great tactician on the field - and TBH I never thought that was the case when he was captain anyway - then he should, as a senior player, at slip - be providing input anyway and can continue to do that with being captain. If he has not been supporting Paine in that way, then that would just reinforce a view that he isn't a natural leader.