Warne doesn't want Smith to captain Australia: Details here
What's the story
Australian legend Shane Warne feels Steve Smith should focus on batting and not on anything else. Warne doesn't want the star batsman to be reinstated as Australia captain. Smith's two-year captaincy ban following the ball-tampering scandal has elapsed and he is now eligible to succeed Tim Paine as the Test skipper. Here's what Warne stated regarding Smith.
Warne on Smith
'I just want him to bat and bat and bat'
Warne added that he wants Smith to just bat and felt the latter doesn't need to captain. "I just want Smith to bat, I don't want him to worry about the other stuff. I just want him to bat and bat and bat. He is a leader on the field anyway and I don't think he needs to captain," added Warne.
Quote
Warne isn't keen to have Smith as Australia's skipper
Warne said if he was a selector, then he wouldn't appoint Smith as Australia's captain. "I'm sure he could captain Australia again but if I was a selector I wouldn't [go that way]," Warne said of Smith in the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.
Paine
Warne backs Paine to lead the Australian Test side
The former leg-spinner backed Tim Paine to lead the Australian Test side. "I would keep Paine as captain as long as he is making runs. He has done a very good job as captain. It's a different situation if Paine doesn't make runs and is out of the side as then Smith comes back into calculations," said Warne.
Backing
Tim Paine will fully support Smith's bid for captaincy
Recently, the 35-year-old Paine threw his support behind ex-captain Smith taking over the leadership role. "I haven't had that conversation with Smithy, I probably will at some stage no doubt but I think that he's back captaining Rajasthan Royals and The Hundred, it's something that he loves doing. If he decides that's the way he wants to go then I'd fully support him."
Smith
Superstar Smith has bossed Test cricket
Smith has been a superstar for Australia in Tests. The right-handed batsman has amassed 7,227 career Test runs in 73 matches. Smith averages 62.84 and has 26 tons and 29 fifties under his belt. Smith, who made a return to cricket in 2019, amassed 965 runs in just eight Tests at 74.23. He scored a record 774 runs in the Ashes 2019 series.