Mark Waugh has declared Steve Smith should be Australia’s next Test captain with the former selector labelling the prolific batsman the “logical choice” when Tim Paine’s rein ends.
Paine will enter his second home summer as skipper next month but at age 34 the captaincy debate is certain to begin in earnest in the coming years.
Smith will be free to return to his former position come the end of March 2020, when a 24-month leadership ban for his role in the ball-tampering saga expires.
A return to the role would no doubt bring with it reminders of the dramas of Cape Town, just as Australian cricket looks to have moved past the scandal.
But there is no other obvious successor to Paine, with question marks over whether a bowler could fulfil the captain’s role or if any other batsman is stable enough in their position.
“Personally, I think Steve Smith should be captain when (Tim)’s time is up,” Waugh said at Fox Cricket’s summer launch.
“He is the logical choice from where I sit. He has been captain before and he is one player you know will be in the team for a starter.
“Tactically he is pretty smart. We’ve seen that.
“I don’t see too many other options to be honest.
“Are there many players you could say are still going to be in the team?
“There’s talk about Pat Cummins, he’s never captained the team before.
“Yes he is a great guy and a smart cricketer but is he going to play every Test match?
“If you ask me I think Steve Smith should be the next captain.”
Waugh’s comments come as Australia’s former players remain split on the issue.
Champion spinner Shane Warne has argued that Smith should just be allowed to focus on batting after his dominant Ashes series.
“Be the senior pro … but I just want Steve Smith to keep making hundreds and batting the way he can,” Warne said on Thursday.
But others are quick to point out that Smith averaged 70.16 as Australia’s captain.
“His record was pretty good when he was captain as well,” Waugh said.
“He is an excellent batman whether he is captain or not captain.”
Cummins remains the next most-likely option, however, Australia have not had a bowler as been full-time captain since Richie Benaud in 1963.
Cummins remains non-committal on whether he would want to assume the role.
“I think a bowler can… I wouldn’t want anything to impinge on our first role in the team to bowl,” he said.
“If it ever came up I think it would be a strong conversation… I don’t know, we’ll see what happens.”
