Steve Smith is still in frame for Australian captaincy

Steve Smith overlooked from the Australian captaincy on Sunday night but reassured he’s still in the frame to one day get his old position back.

Steve Smith plays a ramp shot during Sunday night’s T20 international against India Picture: AFP

Steve Smith was snubbed from the Australian captaincy on Sunday night but reassured he’s still in the frame to one day get his old position back.

Matthew Wade was appointed Australia’s 11th Twenty20 captain as a replacement for the injured Aaron Finch, in perhaps the most telling sign yet that Smith may never lead his country again.

Australian coach Justin Langer said the decision to overlook Smith when Finch and Pat Cummins (rested) were unavailable was not a definitive call on the leadership future of the world’s best batsman, despite him being behind Wade – a year his senior – in the pecking order.

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In fact, Langer was positive about Smith’s prospects of once again rising to captain but admits there will be a significant process still to work through.

“Steve Smith has done a brilliant job in the past. There’s a process to go through until he becomes captain again. We’ll go through that,” Langer told Fox Cricket.

“We know what a great player he is. We’ve seen that his whole career.

“When the English crowd gave him a standing ovation at The Oval last year, you talk about earning respect and earning back respect. That’s one of the fondest moments of my coaching career. He’s doing all the right things to show leadership without a title at the moment.

Langer said Smith was discussed, but Wade was preferred.

“Yeah of course. We talked about a number. The exciting thing is as you say, there’s so many options,” said Langer.

“We talk about building a leadership culture and leaders within the group. Matthew Wade was the vice-captain (with Cummins rested).”

Ultimately, the decision over whether Smith will captain Australia again rests with the Cricket Australia board.

Selector Trevor Hohns previously nominated Shane Warne for the captaincy, only for the board to go with Steve Waugh.

Australia’s decision to overlook Smith came on the same day the former captain was the fan’s vote for No.1 on News Corp’s list of most influential people in sport.

Smith was voted No.22 by journalists, but No.1 by fans – in a significant sign that he still holds great favour with the Australian public despite the stain left by the ball-tampering scandal in 2018.

Wade is an esteemed leader in his own right, and a worthy choice to replace Finch. His comeback story is inspiring in its own right, given he looked like never playing for Australia again until he was called back for the 2019 Ashes.

Now Wade is part of Australia’s set-up in all three formats and has the honour of captaining his country.

Selectors ignored Wade’s push for a couple of seasons despite the mountain of runs he was scoring at domestic level, but he has won them over by proving them wrong. They love the Tasmanian’s gritty determination and toughness.

Wade has matured enormously since his previous times in the Australian team when he was often criticised as being a big sledger and part of the team’s in-your-face culture.

Langer said there was hope Finch would return for tomorrow’s final Twenty20 international after failing a fitness test yesterday for a tear in his glute.

The Australian coach also spoke for the first time about his public argument with David Boon last Friday night in Canberra – and admitted there was confusion over Ravi Jadeja’s concussion because he had already suffered a hamstring injury.

But Langer backed in the concussion protocols.

“We saw Ravi go down with a hamstring and then hit and then all of a sudden we found out he was out with concussion,” he said.

“Boonie and I had a really good conversation about his golf handicap and which footy team he plays for.”

The Daily Telegraph