Smith will step down from T20I captaincy if he feels workload, says David Warner
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David Warner has stated that it would depend on Steven Smith to step down from T20I captaincy for him to take over, after his brilliant captaincy in the ongoing tri-series has led many to suggest it. Many former players and coach have been in favour of having different captains in different formats.
Australia came into the Trans-Tasman Tri series at the back of a disappointing ODI series against England and as theĀ seventh-ranked T20I team, with hardly any chance of coming out as the winner. However, under the Sunrisers Hyderabad skipperās unconventional approach, the Aussies have been dominant with four consecutive victories and are on the verge of becoming the No.1 T20I side.
If they continue their winning streak into the final game on Wednesday against New Zealand, they will come agonizingly close to the top position with Pakistan in the ICC T20I rankings. The sudden spike in their standings has led the fan to take a special liking towards Warner as the skipper, but the stand-in skipper has insisted that he isnāt looking for a regular role.
"At the end of the day, it's up to Steve. If he thinks his workloads are too high and he doesn't feel like he can do that, I'm sure he'll put his hand up and step aside. We spoke about one of us in the leadership group staying back and leading the (T20) team, and obviously, I put my hand up for that," told Warner told reporters in Auckland on Tuesday.
Many Australian pundits, coaches and former players like Ricky Ponting have always believed that one captain for all the three formats would be unsustainable in the long run amidst the hectic calendar, and latest situations could further fuel Warnerās chances in that role.
When asked if he enjoyed captaining the new look Australian team that has experimented with a flurry of in-form players from the Big Bash League, Warner quick to reply, "It's been fantastic. A few of us were mentally cooked after the (Ashes) Test series and it's just great for those guys to go over to South Africa... and inject a lot of younger guys and guys who are in form (into the T20 side)," he said.
