Steve Smith is gearing up for the long home season after a glorious Ashes series in England, and is looking forward to representing Australia in front of the home crowd for the first time since January 2018 – though he’s not keen on leadership roles at present.
Smith was banned from captaincy for two years after his involvement in the ball tampering episode during the Cape Town Test in March 2018. Since then, the Test side has been captained by Tim Paine, and the limited-overs by Aaron Finch.
Finch led Australia to the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup, where they lost to the hosts and the eventual champions England, while Paine’s Australia succeeded in retaining the Ashes on English soil for the first time since 2001.
Don't think Steve Smith got the memo… pic.twitter.com/xF2uZtOrXS
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) October 25, 2019
Smith dismissed any speculation that he’d be taking over the reigns in near future, and acknowledged the current Australian captains’ success. “Not on my radar at all. Finchy and Painey are both doing terrific jobs so I’m enjoying playing and pretty chilled.”
Australia will take on Sri Lanka in a three-match T20I series starting tomorrow (October 27), followed by three T20Is and two Tests against Pakistan next month. Smith, whose last international appearance in Australia came during the five-match ODI series against England in January 2018, can’t wait to take the field again in front of the home crowd.
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“It should be good, I can’t wait to play,” he said. “Any time you walk out and play for Australia it’s a great honour and to be back playing here in Australia, I’m excited.”
Australia have been a dominant force in Test cricket in the past and have had success in both ODI tournaments – five World Cups and two Champions Trophies. But their record in T20 World Cups has been patchier, with just one appearance in the final across six editions, their defeat to England in 2010.
Smith, who played his last T20I during the previous edition in 2016, believes that the upcoming season will be perfect preparation for the tournament, which for the first time is being played in Australia.
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“I’m sure with the World Cup in a year’s time there’s an opportunity to have that continuity. I think we’ve seen over the years that the T20 format is one where guys are rested a lot. That will probably change leading into the World Cup I dare say. I think it’s a great opportunity for fourteen guys that have been picked here to have that continuity and try to perform together and work towards hopefully being part of a World Cup.
“It starts here this summer. We’ve got six games straight.”
