We’re Going To Add To The Circus By Appointing Steve Smith As Test Captain After Tim Paine's Sexting Scandal – Ian Healy
Published - 23 Nov 2021, 02:21 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:01 AM
Former Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Ian Healy believes that appointing Steve Smith as the new Test captain of Australia after the resignation of Tim Paine following his involvement in a sexting scandal, will only “add to the circus.”
Tim Paine stepped down from Australia’s Test captaincy after his involvement in a sexting scandal became public. Notably, back in 2017, he sent messages of a sexual nature to a female co-worker and was investigated by Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania.
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Talking about Steve Smith, he was also involved in a huge ball-tampering incident known as the Sandpaper-gate scandal in the year 2018 during the Test series in South Africa. After Steve Smith, his deputy David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were found guilty, they were banned from cricket.
Following the Sandpaper-gate scandal, Paine was given the responsibility to lead Australia in red-ball cricket, and Justin Langer became the head coach.
I’ve Got No Problems With Steve Smith Captaining Australia Again; He Paid A Heavy Price For Just Being A Lazy Captain – Ian Healy
Former Australian cricketer Healy said that he has got no problem with Smith becoming the next captain as he has paid “a heavy price” for being a lazy skipper.
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“We’re going to add to the circus by Steve Smith being appointed after that (the Tim Paine episode). I’ve got no problems with Steve Smith captaining Australia again; he paid a heavy price for just being a lazy captain, that’s about all he was guilty of,” Healy told Sportsday with Satts and Jase on Tuesday.
“Too many people around there think he was actually in there scratching that ball in South Africa, but if they’ve forgotten what happened he just wasn’t aware enough as captain to pull the reigns in and stop what was going to happen,” added Healy.
“That was his (Smith) crime, and he got a year (ban) for it. So, I’ve got no problems, but I don’t think he needs to come in as vice-captain or straight after Paine’s indiscretion.”
Ian Healy also opined that Paine’s captaincy resignation was his personal choice, and he could have stayed, and even the coach wanted him to stay. He asserted:
“Paine resigned of his own (choice), Cricket Australia said he could stay and the coach wanted him to stay on, (but) he just didn’t want to be a distraction in this circus.”
Meanwhile, if reports are to be believed, Pat Cummins will be taking over the captain responsibility of the Australia Men’s Test Cricket team.
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