Clarke, the 2015 World Cup-winning captain, was the most vocal cricket of Australia’s selection ahead of the T20 tournament. The former batsman, who scored centuries at the top of the order and middle order during his glittering career, criticised Australia’s decision to drop Smith on the eve of the tournament.
Speaking during the lead-in matches against England, Clarke said smith would be the tournament’s leading run-scorer if he opened the batting and added that the right-hander was essential to Australia’s World Cup defence as he added balance to the big-hitting order.
As such, they took Steve Smith to Western Australia. “He was taken to Perth to be the 12th man – that’s not right,” Clarke said on Big Sports Breakfast.”Don’t tell me Steve Smith has to bat at number three or four. “If he opens, he will be the highest run-getter in the T20 World Cup. He’s still such a good player.
Clarke’s comments came after Smith was dropped after a three-match tour of India with Cameron Green deciding to open with David Warner while skipper Aaron Finch was batting in the middle order. Two matches of the tournament and Australia’s World Cup defence hang by a thread after their defeat in Sydney against New Zealand.
They got a World Cup lifeline after England’s defeat to Ireland in Melbourne on Wednesday, but now they have to beat their Ashes opponent to keep their tournament alive. Australia’s selectors are now facing a tough call, as questions are being raised over Finch’s place in the squad after an ugly knock against Sri Lanka, while Pat Cummins’ position is also untenable after receiving more taps.
“I think there’s a place in the team for someone like Steve Smith,” Michael Vaughan told foxsports.com.au. “You have to look at Dawid Malan for England, he’s the timer of the ball, hits in the interval, knows where his boundary options are and I think if you give Steve Smith 50 balls he will give you 80 runs.
“He is a very good player. He is efficient. But he can take 20 balls to get you into the groove.”I think in most T20 teams you need a real skilled player who can seam the ball, turn against spin, hit the gap. It’s not about hitting sixes and fours, it’s about manipulating the field.Liam Livingstone: Wins are England’s ideal opponent to get back on trackI don’t know how much influence he has (as a captain), but obviously he is a great player and I was surprised not to see him there. After Australia’s defeat to New Zealand, former New Zealand wicketkeeper Ian Smith had questioned whether the opposition teams were afraid of the defending champions without their names.
Michael Vaughan, however, said Smith’s absence was crucial as was his ability to adapt to the state of T20 cricket, which is more complicated than trying to break every ball, and described him as the “perfect three”. “I’m not sure if it’s as much of a feeling in T20 cricket. “I think you need skilled players, not just powerful players. You also need a manipulator of situations.
“I think Smith can play the situation and get the ball 360 in his own different way. He also has a good cricketing brain. It’s a shock. He said the bouncy wickets in Australia suited Smith’s ability to score runs from the front and back foot.
“That’s the thing and that’s why it surprises me because I think on those slow, lower wickets in the UAE you think you need more power and ground ability but on Australian wickets, with a bit of bounce, I think Smith is perfect for those wickets. So it’s a big blow, it’s a big mistake in my view.