Should Steve Smith be reinstalled as Australia captain again?

India’s ongoing tour of Australia has become a bedlam for the Aussies wherein the slew of injuries has brought in a personnel crisis in their camp. It all began when David Warner picked up a groin injury and ever since, the number of injury count hasn’t ceased which eventually led the camp to incorporate an additional set of players to accommodate their second warm-up game against India in Sydney.

However, it was the injury of the limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch which brought a leadership conundrum in the side wherein Matthew Wade was immersed as the stand-in captain for the second T20I against India despite having the presence of Steven Smith in the team.

Steven Smith was banned for a year which did end his captaincy stint and was refrained from any leadership role at least for a year. But at the moment, with the completion of the captaincy ban, Smith now becomes available for taking up the reins. The Australian head coach Justin Langer, however, has indicated a possibility of Smith becoming a captain again as there’s a process to go through. Langer’s statement does speak a sense of affirmation when it comes to Smith’s captaincy comeback.

One for the future

But when it comes to putting things in perspective at the moment the two Australian skippers Aaron Finch and Tim Paine have done a commendable job leading Australia in white and red-ball cricket. Though Paine’s performances as a wicket-keeper batsman has been below par, as of now, he enjoys the backing from both Cricket Australia, the team management and selectors in terms of being the captain till the Ashes of 2021-22.

But at 34 and 35 years of age which aren’t propelling numbers when it comes to the longevity of their careers, there can be an opening when it comes to taking up the reins which might reward Smith again.

?? STEVE SMITH is the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Decade ??

? 7040 Test runs in the #ICCAwards period
?️ 65.79 average ➜ Highest in top 50
? 26 hundreds, 28 fifties

Unique, relentless and unbelievably consistent ? pic.twitter.com/UlXvHaFbDz

— ICC (@ICC) December 28, 2020

Steven Smith’s record as an Australian captain is an extraordinary feat as in a total of 93 matches across formats he has recorded 47 wins and 37 losses along with six draws in Tests matches. His personal record as a skipper batsman in Test cricket is a mind-boggling attainment wherein he has scored 3659 runs at an average of 70.36 with 15 centuries.

The uproar of Steven Smith’s dignity which got completely wrecked in the Sandpaper gate incident was evident when the English crowd gave him a standing ovation at The Oval last year in the Ashes which in itself indicates that the man has become all about doing the right things.

Former cricketers like Adam Gilchrist and Micheal Vaughan have also been vocal when it comes to backing Smith to don captaincy hat as they feel that there isn’t any reason left on why he shouldn’t lead again.

All in all, as per all the proceedings which have taken place regarding Smith’s captaincy comeback and with keeping Langer’s statement in mind it looks like the selectors and the board are yet to take an official call on this subject. Cricket Australia does need to move on from the Newlands incident and if they are willing to have Smith as a potential future captain then he should be immediately awarded the vice-captaincy at least in Test cricket.