Steve Smith’s Return As Australian Test Captain Acceptable, Says Simon Longstaff

May 2, 2021 at 3:59 PM

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Steve Smith’s Return As Australian Test Captain Acceptable, Says Simon Longstaff

Steve Smith might not be the main man in his new IPL team Delhi Capitals but is certainly the go-to player as far as Australian Test cricket is concerned. After the 31-year-old batsman was stripped of the captaincy after his involvement in the sandpaper gate controversy which led to a subsequent ban, he has not only made a comeback in the international arena but in style silencing critics with the willow.

For now, Tim Paine continues to lead the Australian side in the Tests, but his own performance has been rather questionable for some time now. On the flip side, Steve Smith has expressed his interest in leading the Australian side once again. Now his chances of captaining Australia have received a boost, after the man who led the cultural review into the team, has endorsed his credentials.

Steve Smith, Tim Paine
Steve Smith, Tim Paine. Image-Twitter

Steve Smith Has Paid The Penalty, Accepted Wrongdoing, And Was Remorseful: Dr. Simon Longstaff

Dr. Simon Longstaff, whose probe led to Steve Smith being banned for a year and suspended from leadership roles until May 2020, has said he has no objections with Steve Smith leading the side.

“I’ve always believed that if people have done the wrong thing, have paid a particular penalty and they show that they have been open in their acceptance of wrongdoing and genuinely remorseful, then they should not be excluded for all opportunities into the future, and I would apply that to Steven Smith,” Longstaff, head of the Ethics Centre, said in an interview with The Age newspaper.

Steve Smith
Steve Smith. (Photo Source: Getty Images)

Three years after the shocking ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town, Steve Smith is yet to be considered to lead Australia again. After serving a 12-month ban, he returned to play for his country again along with David Warner and have brought laurels for Australia with the bat. David Warner won’t be leading for Australia again, while Steve Smith was stripped of the captaincy for one more year post-ban.

The period has ended a long time back but the selectors have stuck to Tim Paine being the Test captain while Aaron Finch is at the helm in the limited-overs format. Steve Smith himself expressed his keenness to lead his country again earlier this year in March of course if the selectors were considering him for the position.

In an interesting turn of events, Cricket Australia’s cultural reviewer Dr. Simon Longstaff, the philosopher who led CA’s probe in the ball-tampering scandal, has tentatively endorsed Steve Smith to return as a national captain.

Tim Paine Has Reached 37 And His Batting And Captaincy Hasn’t Been Upto Mark In Recent Times

Tim Paine’s captaincy and his wicket-keeping standards have come under severe criticism ever since India thrashed Australia 2-1 in the recently-concluded 4 match Test series. Tim Paine has led his country to 11 wins, four draws, and eight defeats.

 

 

Australia Test skipper Tim Paine
Australia Test skipper Tim Paine (Photo | AP)

Tim Paine will also turn 37 on the eve of the Ashes Test 2021-22. The current skipper is struggling to justify his place in the team, mostly because of his ineffective batting and his two series losses to India at home. The schedule for the Ashes — that will conclude in Perth next January — will be confirmed by Cricket Australia on May 12-13.

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