Ian Chappell: Steve Smith is quietly and efficiently leading Australia to the top of the world

STEVE Smith is like a good umpire: he goes about his job quietly and efficiently and it’s only afterwards you realise he wasn’t just on the field but also in charge.

IN the parlance of the Top 40 charts of my youth: “Australia is headed to number one with a bullet.”

Despite a typically ultra-aggressive, counterattacking century from Brendon McCullum, Australia is still on track to become the top ranking Test side after again making early inroads into New Zealand’s fragile top order. Australia’s remarkable turnaround in fortune comes little more than six months after being humiliated by England at Trent Bridge.

Australia lost to England under Michael Clarke’s captaincy and is now poised to become number one with Steve Smith in charge.

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Clarke, like a colourfully attired lead singer in a band, was a captain who stood out. Smith is more akin to the good umpire, or wicketkeeper; he goes about his job quietly and efficiently and it’s only after the game you realise he wasn’t just on the field but also in charge.

Clarke was a terrific tactician and strategist, always prodding the opposition and looking for a chink that would quickly lead Australia to a dominant position.

When things fell into place Australia demolished the opposition. On the occasions when Australia’s impetuosity with the bat led to collapses like at Trent Bridge, the opposition steam rolled to victory. Australia under Clarke either won by plenty or lost by a lot.

As a measure of Smith’s subtly efficient captaincy it’s only when you stop and think and then, just to make sure, look up his record, you realise that after 10 Tests he’s still undefeated.

Smith has learned quickly that a captain has to find a way to win with whatever attack he’s handed. Consequently numerous changes to his bowling line-up through injury haven’t caused him to throw his hands in the air and moan, “woe is me.”

The two constants for Smith have been Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon. Both bowlers have formed the foundation of Smith’s attack but they’ve also benefited from his leadership. In the Adelaide day/night Test, Smith was strong in his support for Hazlewood, expressing confidence in his ability to lead the attack in the absence of an injured Mitchell Starc. Hazlewood lived up to the billing.

Lyon has enjoyed a higher rate of success following a suggestion from Smith that he operate on a line outside off-stump to the right-handers. Such plaudits and suggestions build up confidence in the crucial relationship between a captain and his bowlers.

It also doesn’t hurt that Smith is a run machine and leads the way with the bat. He also helps his bowlers with sure-hands in the slips, occasionally taking a blinder like the one that got rid of Tom Latham.

Australia is developing into a good side under Smith’s leadership but they’ll struggle to reach the greatness of some of the recent teams whose success was fuelled by Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath.

However, when Australia do reach number one they’ll be hard to knock off their perch, because the opposition is not overly strong and few have the benefit of a solidly efficient leader like Smith.

New Zealand is one of the stronger opponents Smith will confront but they’ll be considerably weakened by the retirement of McCullum. Smith paid McCullum the ultimate compliment in his final game by forming a guard of honour and the New Zealand skipper thanked him by flaying his bowlers all over Hagley Oval in scoring the fastest-ever Test century.

Under McCullum, New Zealand has new-found confidence. Many past Kiwi teams used to consider a draw against Australia a moral victory but McCullum has never been satisfied with anything as dull as a draw.

Thanks to his hair-raising stroke play and daring counter-attack, his final Test has advanced so quickly a draw is highly unlikely. That means Smith and his team have to conjure up one more victory and then they’ll be top of the pops.

Originally published as Ian Chappell: Steve Smith is quietly and efficiently leading Australia to the top of the world