Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden is confident in Steve Smith’s ability to provide crucial support to Pat Cummins during Australia’s upcoming journey in the ODI World Cup. With Cummins and Smith temporarily sidelined due to the forthcoming tour to South Africa, Cummins faces the dual challenge of being a bowler and leading the Australian team in the World Cup.
Cummins, who has made clear his intention to prioritize his fitness by not participating in all matches leading up to the World Cup, is relatively new to leadership responsibilities in white-ball cricket. This scenario has led to speculation about how he will handle the captaincy role in such a significant tournament.
In light of these circumstances, Matthew Hayden believes that Steve Smith’s involvement could prove invaluable to the team’s success in the tournament. Hayden envisions Smith as an ideal “wingman” for Cummins, someone who can offer guidance, insight, and support both on and off the field. Smith’s strong character and proactive involvement in field changes while Cummins is in action, have not gone unnoticed, making him a potential asset to the team’s leadership dynamics.
Hayden said, “When you think back to the World Cups, we’ve always had a very settled Australian captain with vast experience Allan Border’s World Cup-winning effort here in India. He had a wealth of experience. It was a legacy captaincy that could be traced back through the ages Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke, all World Cup champions with extensive experience.”
Hayden’s optimism is rooted in the idea that while Cummins may be relatively new to a captaincy in white-ball cricket, the presence of a seasoned player like Smith can alleviate some of the pressure and provide a reliable source of advice. Hayden parallels past World Cup-winning Australian captains who brought extensive experience to the role, such as Allan Border, Ricky Ponting, and Michael Clarke.
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“There’s no doubt it’s going to help. But, among the other characters, there’s Steve Smith; you’ve seen how conspicuous he is when Pat has the ball in his hand, flying around like he always does. But he also has a good wingman in Steve Smith, with a lot of experience. So, I’m not saying it’s a team captaincy, but I think Australia has a solution,” Hayden told ESPNcricinfo.
Hayden’s remarks emphasize the value of having a leadership structure that combines experienced players’ wisdom with emerging leaders’ fresh perspectives. While not advocating for a complete shift of captaincy responsibility, Hayden highlights the significance of Smith’s presence in bolstering the team’s overall captaincy dynamic.
