Is Smith Done?

[hattrick]

I have been thinking about an issue for the last few weeks. A year ago I doubt I would even write it let alone think it. So here goes.

I believe strongly that Graeme Smith is at the cross roads of his international career. Injuries and a complete lack of form has dogged the once unbeatable international. When he scored runs he went big, just ask England.However between injuries that Mitchell Johnson started and injuries that occurred at the IPL then the picture begins to look rather desperate.

I might be over critical but Friday nights dismissal in the final ODI against Australia showed me a player that is in crisis mode. He seemed to be wanting to hit his way out of the lack of form he has suffered.

The trouble is that he is no longer the captain of the ODI and T20 side. At the moment I believe the needs to be playing franchise cricket and not putting the national side under constant pressure in losing his wicket. You may ask what are the options for the national side? Well in both the ODI and T20 context there is Richard Levi of the Cape Cobras that warrants selection to the national side. Would I pick Smith for the Test matches?.. No.

Gary Kirsten will be facing his first big test soon in whether he sticks with Smith or does he invest in the future?

 

[Ljp86]

Would be a tough decision to make, how long has Smith been out of form? You could drop him to domestic cricket or he could bat down the order for a while to get himself back into form. Ponting has dropped down one spot to number four which has seen him churn out some better scores and become more consistent, the same could be done for Smith.

It's a big call, dropping the ex-captain could create a fair bit of backlash. It could also bring in another player who could make runs up there so there's a lot of thought that would need to be put into this.

 

[hattrick]

@ljp the form is as I mentioned the last 12 months. I am implying that he should be sent to domestic cricket and not be moved to another place in the batting order. The dropping to domestic cricket did Mark Boucher a world of good. It would also send a strong message to senior players who I believe have become comfortable with their places in the national side.

I hear your point on the backlash this could create but I doubt it. He came under the microscope after not returning to South Africa after the World Cup but instead he went to visit his then girlfriend who became his wife recently. The problem is that he is the test captain and thus is an automatic selection. I dont agree with having more than one captain.. but that is another story for another post.

 

[Ljp86]

@ljp the form is as I mentioned the last 12 months. I am implying that he should be sent to domestic cricket and not be moved to another place in the batting order.

Yes and I suggested another possible alternative.

The dropping to domestic cricket did Mark Boucher a world of good. It would also send a strong message to senior players who I believe have become comfortable with their places in the national side.

That's a fair point, it could work wonders for Smith if he is dropped. But will it actually happen though?

I hear your point on the backlash this could create but I doubt it. He came under the microscope after not returning to South Africa after the World Cup but instead he went to visit his then girlfriend who became his wife recently. The problem is that he is the test captain and thus is an automatic selection. I dont agree with having more than one captain.. but that is another story for another post.

With three forms of cricket, more than one captain is now much more of a reality. Some players just aren't suited to other forms of the game, a player like Michael Clarke is a great test and ODI player but doesn't have the power hitting or explosiveness to play T20 cricket.