Former Australia Wicket-Keeper Ian Healy Explains Why Appointing Steve Smith As Next Australia Test Captain Could "Add To The Circus"
Healy, who represented Australia in 119 Tests and 168 ODIs, has said that he doesn't have a problem with Smith being appointed the captain again, but it could just add to the "circus".
Former Australia wicket-keeper batter Ian Healy has spoken about the appointment of the next Test captain of the Australian men's cricket team. As per a report in Sydney Morning Herald, a joint committee has been selected comprising Cricket Australia's chief executive Nick Hockley, chair Richard Freudenstein, and fellow director Mel Jones. The committee will now look at all the captaincy nominees before they go to the CA board. The entire process for picking the next skipper may take a week. All the captaincy nominees will be interviewed by the joint committee where they will be asked to share their vision for the men's Test team.
Australia have been forced to look for a new leader in the longest format, just days ahead of their crucial Ashes series against England, as Tim Paine resigned from his position after being engulfed in a 'sexting' scandal. "Today, I'm announced my decision to stand down as the captain of the Australian men's test team. It's an incredibly difficult decision, but the right one for me, my family, and cricket," Paine had said in a statement as quoted by cricket.com.au.
While vice-captain Pat Cummins is the front-runner to take over as the new captain, former skipper Steve Smith could also be looked at as he is now eligible to return to the leadership role. Smith had to relinquish captaincy in all formats after the controversial ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in 2018. Smith and his then deputy David Warner were banned for a year from competitive cricket by Cricket Australia.
Healy, who represented Australia in 119 Tests and 168 ODIs, has said that he doesn't have a problem with Smith being appointed captain again, but it could just add to the "circus".
“Painey resigned of his own (choice), Cricket Australia said he could stay and the coach wanted him to stay on, (but) he just didn't want to be a distraction in this circus,” Healy told Sportsday with Satts and Jase, according to a report on sen.com.au.
“We're going to add to the circus by Steve Smith being appointed after that.
“I've got no problems with Steve Smith captaining Australia again, he paid a heavy price for just being a lazy captain, that's about all he was guilty of.
“Too many people around there think he was actually in there scratching that ball in South Africa, but if they've forgotten what happened he just wasn't aware enough as captain to pull the reigns in and stop what was going to happen.
“That was his crime, and he got a year for it.
“So, I've got no problems, but I don't think he needs to come in as vice-captain or straight after Painey's indiscretion,” Healy went on to add.
(With ANI inputs)
Australia Cricket Team
Steven Smith
Pat Cummins