Shane Warne slams Steve Smith over 'bad captaincy' after SA loss

Things have not been good for Australia and Steve Smith off lately. After suffering a 0-5 ODI series whitewash at home against South Africa, the Aussies were condemned to a 177-run defeat in the first Test against the Proteas on Monday. On the third day of the match, Steve Smith opted to bowl with the pacers the entire day and gave the ball to chief spinner Nathan Lyon to bowl just 12 overs on a hot day in Perth.

Following this decision from the Australian captain, spin legend Shane Warne criticized Smith's captaincy saying, "It wasn't like the ball was hooping around corners yesterday, they couldn't take a wicket," during Channel Nine's telecast.

"I thought it was a bit weird Nathan Lyon didn't bowl one over. He bowled 12 overs on a 37-degree day and the quicks bowled their hearts out,” he added. 

Warne felt that Smith's snubbing of Lyon will damage the latter's confidence.

“When the captain doesn't bowl you in the first session and tries everyone three to four times in their spells, then throws you the ball, as a spinner you're like an afterthought - "we've tried everyone else, why don't you have a bowl?"

"To me it's bad captaincy because you're trying to get the best out of the players. To bowl him for 12 overs, his confidence will be low," Warne said.