Superstar cricketers Steve Smith, Patrick Cummins and the rest of the Australians who fled the Indian Premier League bubble for the Maldives are on track to return home as early as Sunday.
Pat Cummins has celebrated his NSW captaincy debut with a 59-run victory over Victoria at North Sydney Oval, where Steve Smith’s superb one-day form continued.
Rob Forsaith
Steve Smith has revealed he was spoken to about the captaincy vacancy over the weekend, admitting he would accept a return to the Australian captaincy but only if it’s in the team’s best interests.
Ben Horne
WATCH: Former South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes, who is widely touted as the game’s best ever fielder, stood and hailed Pooran after the clutch effort.
Cricket’s hangover from Cape Town has now all but cleared with Steve Smith free to captain Australia again if called upon.
Scott Bailey
Australian cricket coach Justin Langer has laid bare the abuse levelled at stars Steve Smith and David Warner during last year’s Ashes series in England, labelling it the most vile he had experienced.
Steve Butler
Marnus Labuschagne has cautioned against drawing comparisons with Steve Smith, but Australia’s form batsman is close to overtaking his mentor’s Test batting average.
Smith entered the Australian summer having never gone three consecutive Tests without scoring a half-century during his entire career.
Justin Chadwick
Australian batsman Steve Smith hopes he can score more freely against the red ball after New Zealand restricted him to just 43 from 164 balls in the first Test at Optus Stadium yesterday.
Mitchell Woodcock
Smith’s availability will be determined by Australian selection in the one-day international squad to tour India.
AAP
Chasing 151 for victory Smith stood tall as wickets fell around him, smashing 80* in an innings including 11 fours and a six.
Smith’s two-year ban from leading Australia ends on March 29 but he’s unfazed by debate about whether he should be restored to the role.
Steve Larkin
Aussie captain says he hopes Steve Smith does lead Australia again one day, and he might just be there behind the microphone to call the moment.
Coach Justin Langer has pleaded with English fans not to boo David Warner and Steve Smith and remember they are human beings on their Australian returns.
