Australia v England ODI series: Stay up to date with the latest news ahead of the final match

Next year will see Australia tour India and England while chasing a World Test Championship and playing in a 50 over World Cup. It’s why getting Steve Smith off side is a dangerous move.

The decision to bypass Steve Smith for the Australia 50 over captaincy is a dangerous move in a year when his behind-the-scenes leadership will be more crucial than it has ever been.

The one certainty of the frantic year that awaits Australia is that Pat Cummins is going to be ready for a desert island and a cold drink at the end of it after leading Australia in Test tours of India and England plus the World Championship Test final before the 50 over World Cup in India.

He simply cannot carry this burden alone.

Cummins will need a vice-captain – Smith – who is motivated to the max, sharp-eyed and desperately wanting to make a difference, all the while knowing the captain will get all the credit and not him if things go well.

It doesn’t sound like a complex challenge but Australian cricket history insists it’s not that simple either.

Steve Smith reacts after being dismissed for 94. Picture: AFP Images

Smith was overlooked for the captaincy of the 50 over team against England at the SCG when the selectors plumped for the admirable Josh Hazlewood who, in his typical low fuss way, led the side to victory with Smith being made his deputy.

Only Smith would know how he felt at being overlooked.

His body language was sound, he went on to make 94 and again looked in wonderful touch. When quizzed about it he will probably be smart enough to tow a friction-free line.

But a snub is snub and Australia must hope Smith is not deflated in any way.

An alternate line of thinking for the selectors might have been to give Smith the captaincy in a sign that his leadership contribution was still highly valued by the group entering this year where he will need to go above and beyond in helping Cummins.

The vice-captaincy is a very subtle and underestimated role which challenges a person in a way no other position in the side does. In a world full of cameras and instant analysis it often asks a man to put his best foot forward when no-one is watching.

It takes a special sort of person with a special sort of drive to do it extremely well.

Leadership duo Pat Cummins and Steve Smith have a big year ahead. Picture: Jerad Williams

Many experienced players have found it a deceptively challenging role and it is crucial for Australia that Smith, in a year which could define the career of a group of players who will soon exit the game, has a standout time as deputy skipper.

A trait of successful Australian eras is normally a sturdy vice-captain – Neil Harvey under Richie Benaud, Geoff Marsh under Allan Border as Australia rose from the depths in the late 1980s, Ian Healy to Mark Taylor and Adam Gilchrist to Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh.

Often the best vice-captains are the one who don’t particularly want to be captain – Gilchrist and Marsh come to mind - and couldn’t care who gets the credit for things.

Smith and Cummins seemed to work well last season during the Ashes and they will need that bond to be stronger than ever over the most exhaustive and challenging year in Australian cricket history.

THINKING BEHIND SHOCK HAZLEWOOD LEADERSHIP CALL

Ben Horne

Josh Hazlewood believes he is currently in the box seat to continue to deputise for Pat Cummins if the Australian captain misses further matches before and during next year’s ODI World Cup.

Selectors are yet to learn whether David Warner will become another potential captaincy option for them as Cricket Australia continues to drag its feet on when the future of his lifetime leadership will be decided at an independent hearing.

But as it stands Hazlewood would appear to be ahead of Steve Smith and Alex Carey as next captain in line should Cummins be unavailable, although that could change based on various factors with selectors explaining the team behind Cummins would be a leadership group rather than a commitment to a nominated No.2.

“I think at this stage, probably yes,” Hazlewood said when asked if he was now the first-choice fill-in captain.

“It’s hard to say though. I’m a fast bowler as well and I might be missing here and there as well.

Josh Hazlewood stepped in as captain in the second ODI against England. Picture: AFP Images

“We’ve obviously got Smithy who was vice-captain tonight and down the chain there’s another couple in the leadership group.

“So there’s plenty of options there and even out in the middle there was a number of senior players I can talk to and get their opinions and it feels like as a team we’re all on the one page moving in the one direction.”

The decision to go with Hazlewood over Steve Smith or Alex Carey shocked most, but not the man himself.

“I think with the white ball stuff, I’ve been in and around the strategy meetings and the leadership groups for a number of years now and I guess with Patty sitting out and having a rest then it was a good opportunity to get a game under my belt and obviously if Patty plays the next game then pass it back,” said Hazlewood.

“There’s that wider leadership group there for the white ball stuff and it makes sense when you’re playing those games on the back end of a Test match series and guys are playing two out of three. It gives that depth we have amongst that leadership group and gives everyone a taste of it. And I think that’s a good thing moving forward.”

Hazlewood has not captained since he was a schoolboy, but did not look out of place taking two wickets as he and bowlers Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa destroyed England by 72 runs to claim the ODI series 2-0 in Sydney.

Hazlewood celebrates a wicket with teammates on the way to victory. Picture: AFP Images

Highly regarded and possessing the most even temperament of almost any cricketer, Hazlewood said he was honoured and satisfied by his ascension to be Australia’s 28th ODI captain.

“It was pretty exciting first of all I think. And a little bit nerve wracking. But I think once you got into a stride on the field it was good fun,” he said.

“I certainly enjoyed it and it was a bit of a challenge there obviously while that partnership was going. We got a couple of wickets and that sort of set the game up and it was good fun.”

The bizarre thing is Hazlewood is no guarantee to be in Australia’s best XI at the World Cup. Not because of his ability – he is the No.2 ranked bowler in ODI cricket – but because Cummins is captain and there may only be room for two fast bowlers to play in a tournament played in India.

Hazlewood maintains he, Cummins and Mitchell Starc could all play alongside each other in the World Cup.

“Yeah I think again it’s the conditions isn’t it. One day cricket in India, the majority play on good wickets. High scoring. From the tours I’ve been on and the scores I’ve seen, they’re quite high and their wickets are good to bat on,” said Hazlewood.

“They don’t necessarily take a lot of spin, but being a tournament, it could take spin the longer it goes into the tournament.

“That’s something you weigh up on the spot. It’s good to play two spin, two quicks and some all-rounders the first couple of games (here against England) and see how that balance works and then we’ll see what happens next game.”