IPL 2019: Steve Smith returns as captain – questionable move by RR, but great news for Australia

For a team to be successful in a Twenty20 tournament, it’s imperative for it to have a really good captain. Not to say that leading a side in Test cricket or One-Day Internationals is easy, but the margins for a skipper are much lesser in the shortest version of the game.

Unlike the longer formats where a captain can let the game amble along and stick to strategies for a while, T20s offer no respite. Bowling changes could have to be made after every over, field positions changed after each delivery, and the thinking cap has to be worn tightly at all times. A captain behind the eight ball in a T20 will almost always see his team end on the losing side.

Take the most successful Indian Premier League sides for instance. Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have won the title three times each, with Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rohit Sharma at the helm on each occasion. While Gautam Gambhir has led Kolkata Knight Riders to two trophies. These three players are celebrated leaders in the game, hence the success enjoyed by their respective franchises. Virat Kohli, on the other hand, who isn’t really known to be a master tactician, has failed to lead Royal Challengers Bangalore to a single title.

Looking at the Rajasthan Royals’ IPL campaign this season, before they defeated Mumbai by five wickets on Saturday, it was quite clear that the champions of the inaugural edition were directionless. Ajinkya Rahane may have led the Royals to the playoffs last year despite having limited resources, but he was struggling to inspire his team this time around. The right-hander’s inability with the bat, with 201 runs from eight innings, was further denting his morale as a leader.

Rajasthan finally decided to opt for a change by handing over the reins to Steve Smith ahead of the MI clash. And the effect was immediate. The 29-year-old, who has captained Australia in all three formats of the game, was characteristically animated on the field. He made quick decisions, using his vast experience to marshal his troops. The spunk in the RR outfit was evident. They managed to contain the visitors to 161/5 in 20 overs and chased down the total with relative ease.

Right move by RR?

A single match has seemed to reignite Rajasthan Royals’ campaign. With a motivated new skipper, the perception around the men in pink seems to have changed all of a sudden. They have six points with five games remaining, and a playoff berth is still not off the cards.

However, as hopeful as things seem for the Royals, one can’t help but question their decision of handing over the captaincy to Smith. Well, at least the timing of it.

Smith marked his return to top-flight cricket with this year’s IPL. He was, of course, banned by Cricket Australia for one year, along with David Warner, for his role in the infamous ball-tampering incident during a 2018 Test in South Africa. Now, part of the Australian cricket board’s punishment for Smith and Warner stated that they couldn’t lead the national team till March 2020. This stipulation, however, didn’t apply to franchise-based tournaments like the IPL.

The burning question then is: Why didn’t Rajasthan Royals start the season with Smith as their captain? Why lose six out of eight games before deciding to make the switch? No disrespect to Rahane’s credentials as a cricketer, but choosing him over Smith is a hard one to digest. Was it a case of RR taking the moral high ground by not letting a player coming fresh off an international ban be the face of their team?

What makes this situation even more intriguing is the fact that Smith will not even be available for the entire league stage this IPL season. Australia’s 15-member squad for the World Cup, which begins on May 30 in England, will get together on May 2 for a preparatory camp in Brisbane. Smith will leave for home in the last week of this month and will most-likely miss Rajasthan’s last two league games. What will RR do then, go back to Rahane as captain or opt for a third choice?

Big positive for Australia

Smith returning as leader of the Rajasthan Royals will, of course, benefit Australia the most. He went away from the game as one of the very best but returned as just another player on the field. His match-winning knock against Mumbai Indians on Thursday, though, was a promising sign for his national team.

Smith seemed back to his fluent best, stroking the ball all around the park and playing his favourite shot – that one-of-a-kind whip off the pads through mid-wicket – with ease as he went on to bag the Player of the Match award. He has scored at an average of 49 this IPL season, with a meagre strike-rate of 111, but his unbeaten 59 off 48 against Mumbai will surely provide him with a major boost in confidence. Also, Rajasthan bestowing faith in his abilities as a leader will go a long way in reminding him that he is indeed a cut above the rest.

“I am getting better and better, the way I am hitting the ball,” Smith said at the post-match press conference on Thursday. “More importantly, my mind is getting better and better with regards to the decisions I am making. I am clear in the mind, getting better and better with each game.”

With the Australian ODI team back to winning ways, Warner firing on all cylinders right through the IPL, and Smith getting “better and better”, things are surely looking up for the world champions. Maybe the effect will rub off on the Rajasthan Royals too.