Steve Smith Australia’s next Test captain but don’t discount David Warner, writes Allan Border

ALLAN Border says Steve Smith will be Australia’s next long-term Test captain, but Border has been impressed by David Warner’s development.

Australia's batsman Steve Smith plays a powerful shot for a boundary off India's pacer Varun Aaron on the second day of the first Test cricket match between Australia and India at the Adelaide Oval on December 10, 2014. AFP PHOTO / SAEED KHAN IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE

MY gut feeling is Steve Smith will be Australia’s next long-term Test captain but, gee, I have been impressed by the growing maturity and development of Dave Warner.

Warner’s personality and his personal life have taken a real turn for the better over the past couple of years.

He now just seems so comfortable in his own skin.

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Everyone knows he is a batsman who brings fans through the gates. He combines his amazing, unconventional talent with the bravado to hit the ball in the air in the early overs and take on the bowlers.

What people might not realise is that Warner is very strong defensively. He can drop anchor if he needs to and if things are not flowing he can pull back a bit, like we saw for a while in the first innings at Adelaide Oval.

David Warner has improved as a player and matured in recent years.

That is a great sign and shows huge maturity. A few years ago, he probably would have kept blazing away and made 40 rather than putting his head down to make a century.

With Michael Clarke’s body really starting to fail, there has been some talk about Warner becoming Australia’s next full-time Test captain but I think they will go with Smith.

He is doing everything right as far as his own cricket goes and he did a very good job captaining New South Wales last year.

He is an impressive character and his batting is so good it now seems incredible he was first picked to play Test cricket as a leg-spinner.

Smith batted at No. 8 in his Test debut, against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2010, and bowled 21 overs of leg-spin.

He was always a big batting talent and I think he would be a good captain of Australia.

One of the main things you want from the captain is to be safe in his selection in the team and Smith certainly ticks that box.

Steve Smith has scored five Test centuries so far.

I get the feeling Smith will also be a regular in the one-day side. That is great because, ideally, you want your captain to have the job in Test and one-day cricket. It can get a bit unwieldy splitting things up.

ANDY Flintoff has not yet bowled a ball in anger for the Brisbane Heat but he has already been doing a terrific job.

The big Pom arrives in Brisbane this weekend and his marketing power is so huge there is already a great vibe about the Heat.

Andrew Flintoff will represent the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League.

The first criteria you must look at when putting together a cricket side is talent and how that person will fit into a playing group.

Another criteria these days is marketability and that is a big thing with the Big Bash.

The whole package of the Brisbane Heat will be enhanced by having a great character like Flintoff in the team. There will be more bums on seats at the Gabba and more corporate support and interest. The young Heat players will also learn so much from Flintoff.

It’s win-win, whichever way you look at it.