Former Australian wicket-keeper, Ian Healy, feels that Australia's premier batsman Steve Smith should be handed the Test captaincy once again and said that he has paid a heavy price for not doing much during the ball-tampering scandal.
Steve Smith was axed from the captaincy and was suspended for a year following his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in 2018 that awestruck everyone and left Australia cricket in the doldrums.
Amid Smith’s ban in 2018, Tim Paine has been at the helm of the Test team while Aaron Finch has handled the white ball captaincy.
However former Australian wicket-keeper, Ian Healy, feels that Steve Smith should take over the Test captaincy and said that it’s a chance for him to redeem.
“In 12 to 18 months from now, I want him to do it, only if he wants to because it's a chance for redemption. I want him to lead strongly, become that statesman of the game and put those doubters and haters to bed. I like redemption he paid a heavy price for not doing much," Ian Healy told SEN radio.
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With Tim Paine, 36, reaching the fag end in his of career and doesn’t seem to have much time left, fresh captaincy discussion has started and Ian Healy feels that the time is right for Steve Smith to be given another chance now.
"Everyone around the world thinks he scratched the ball. All he was, was a bit of a lazy captain and let things run in his team that he wasn't aware of," he said.
Although ace pacer, Pat Cummins has been touted as Australia’s next Test captain following his recent appointment as the sole vice-captain after previously sharing the role with his teammate, Travis Head.
Ian Healy, 56, feels that it would be better if the speedster is given the taste of captaincy in the shorter formats to gain experience before potentially leading the Australian side in Test cricket.
"I think we should try Pat Cummins in short-form games. Give him a taste and get his feedback on how he might cope, that would be a good way to start," he concluded.
Although Steve Smith has returned to international cricket after serving a 12-month ban, there have been mixed reactions about him being given the Test captaincy again.
(PTI Inputs)
