I Can’t See a Reason Why Steve Smith Shouldn’t Be Allowed To Lead Australia Again: Adam Gilchrist
Adam Gilchrist has called for an end to the speculation over Steve Smith’s leadership future and believes he should be immediately promoted to vice-captain if Australia wants him back.
Former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist has urged the national selectors to end all speculations around Steve Smith’s captaincy and appoint him vice-captain if they want him as captain in the future.
Steve Smith was banned from cricket for a year following his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal in 2018. He is also not allowed to take a captaincy role for two years.
Since that incident, Tim Paine has served as the captain of the Australian side, but with Paine not too far away from his retirement, there has been talk regarding Smith being made the captain once again.
Gilchrist said that he doesn’t see why Smith should not be given a second chance. He further added that if Smith was ready for the role, then he should be made the vice-captain of the team immediately.
“I see no reason why someone shouldn’t have a second chance and if part of that is the captaincy for Steve Smith if he’s the right guy and the most obvious candidate, I can’t see a reason why he shouldn’t be allowed to do it,” Gilchrist told Fox Sports.
“If Cricket Australia and the selectors feel that way, and Steve Smith is keen to do it, I think they should make him vice-captain immediately.
“And whenever those opportunities come up when Painey finishes when Finchy finishes he just assumes it like any normal, natural progression,” Gilchrist said.
Gilchrist further said that if Cricket Australia (CA) takes the call to promote Smith now, it will end all the speculations that has been made now about Smith returning as the skipper or not.
“It takes out all the speculation and allows Steve to know, everyone, to know, what the journey is going to be. It allows the natural progression to happen without speculation.
“By doing that it means that when the captaincy changes there’s not all this hype and uncertainty around it and focus being taken away from the cricket. It just means everyone is clear that’s going to happen,” said Gilchrist, who retired in 2008 after playing 96 Tests for the Baggy Greens.
