Australia v India 2014: Steve Smith must be groomed as next skipper, writes Robert Craddock

AUSTRALIA has done its best not to anoint its next long term Test cricket captain but it’s time to get the show moving, writes Robert Craddock.

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

AUSTRALIA has done its best not to anoint its next long term Test cricket captain but it’s time to get the show moving.

If Steve Smith is promoted to the Australian vice-captaincy for Wednesday's Gabba Test, his elevation will be not a moment too soon.

Some figures in high places would even have been happy to see him named captain with Brad Haddin vice-captain.

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But the vice-captaincy would be a good start for this much is clear — Australia must look forward and take every chance to groom Smith as its next leader.

Only last month Australia said it did not want to appoint a vice-captain to Haddin if Michael Clarke missed the first Test because it did not want to “anoint” a future leader.

But the world has changed then and so must Australia.

Steve Smith scored a first innings century against India in the first Test.

The current side, who did so well to beat India in Adelaide, is an interesting blend of players who have incredible form or basically none.

When they are good they can be great but they can also be vulnerable and for the next few years the man at the helm will need a cool head, a sturdy seat belt, and as much leadership experience as he can muster.

The fact that Michael Clarke may never play again and Haddin is 37 are only some of the reasons why Smith needs to be given leadership experience.

A wave of generational change is about to sweep over the team which could lose up to half of its members by this time next year.

Brad Haddin could be announced as Australia’s short-term Test captain.

It’s time to paddle with that wave and inject some leadership experience into a young player while the team is in a suddenly buoyant state.

There is a body of thought that if you promote a young player to the vice-captaincy you effectively pencil them in as future Test captain and that’s partially true.

But pencil marks can always be erased. There’s no watertight contracts when it comes to leadership deals. Mistakes happen.

Australia’s selectors have the prerogative to change their mind and they have done so in the past.

If Smith is named vice-captain for Brisbane then averages 10 runs per innings in his next 10 Tests he would not expect to be in the side in a year’s time, never mind being named captain. It happens.

Through many generations Australia has a quaintly effective way of unearthing captains.

The selectors rarely go looking for them. They simply emerge. That’s what leaders do.

If you ever have to ask “do you think that man’s a leader?”, chances are he isn’t.

Australia’s 44 Test captains have come from all walks of life and the list includes a stockbroker, a plumber, a whisky agent, a school headmaster, a crime journalist and a bookmaker.

There is no proven formula or established route to finding them. They can be blue collar boys made good like Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh, or university educated like Mark Taylor.

The advent of full-time professionalism has made them harder to identify because players are not buffeted around by pressures outside the game that they would find doing normal working jobs.

Steve Smith is being touted as Australia’s next long-term Test captain.

Former chairman of selectors John Inverarity noted that the education of the street should never be underestimated in the moulding of team leaders.

“There's a real danger in cricket that if you have a very strong support staff that does more than necessary, players don't develop the resilience and street smarts,” he said.

Whoever follows Clarke long-term has a tough challenge because his captaincy has been exceptional.

Even his canny declaration in Adelaide on the final day was pitch-perfect, giving his bowlers just enough time and runs to play with.

But even before his breakdown on Saturday. Australia’s selectors were worried about his future and wanted to rest him from the Gabba Test.

The road ahead is uncertain. The sooner a strong, young leader emerges, the better.

Originally published as Australia v India 2014: Steve Smith must be groomed as next skipper, writes Robert Craddock