New Delhi, Aug 8: Cricket Australia (CA) Chairman Earl Eddings has ruled out any current possibility of Steve Smith leading the side again as ban ends next year. Smith was suspended from playing for Australia for 12 months and he was handed an additional one year ban from captaining the side for his role in the infamous ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town last year. Ashes 2019 First Test Stats: Steve Smith Surpasses Virat Kohli, Stuart Broad Takes 450 Wickets & Other Records Made in Edgbaston Test.
Smith meanwhile, returned to Australia's Test squad and slammed two centuries in Edgbaston to power Australia to a 251-run win in the first Ashes Test. "It's not even on our radar. We've got a captain doing a great job. Steve has just come back into the side. We haven't even thought about it or mentioned it at board meetings," Eddings was quoted as saying by Sydney Morning Herald. Steve Smith Ridicules Umpire Aleem Dar for Giving him Out During ENG vs AUS Ashes 2019 1st Test, Australian Batsman Uses DRS to Good Effect; Watch Video.
"We're just glad that (Smith, Warner and Bancroft) are back. That's been a focus, getting the boys back into the team. And getting them playing the right way, which they are. So that's not our focus," he added.
"We're just happy they're doing well and happy to get them back in the side. Tim is captaining really well. It's not on the board agenda," he further said.After Smith's suspension, Wicket-keeper-batsman Tim Paine was handed the responsibility to lead Australia in the longest format of the game.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 09, 2019 10:41 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).