The fifteen-man Australian squad for the T20 World Cup, which starts on June 1, was stripped of star batsman Steve Smith. For weeks, there were rumours that the cricket player might miss the major event because of his recent poor T20 results.
Chief selector George Bailey clarified that although Smith has performed well for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League as a top-order hitter, he was forced to miss out since the pitch is currently loaded. Top-order hitters like Travis Head, David Warner, and recently named captain Mitchell Marsh were selected, leaving little room for Steve Smith.
Bailey encouraged Steve Smith, though, stating that he still had a great deal of cricket left in him and that he will succeed in the opportunities that the 34-year-old will have in the near future.
“Steve Smith’s best T20 work, in my opinion, has come at the top of the order, and it appears that the top order is now firmly established.” Bailey was reported by Metro as saying, “I still think he’s got a huge amount of good cricket left ahead of him. Across what formats, I think that’s as much up for him to decide.”
Interestingly, Steve Smith did not fit into the group of players that Australia had selected for the Twenty20 World Cup. The management was looking for players that could step in at any position and are dynamic because they will play four matches in eleven days, followed by the Super Eight. Because he can bat anywhere in the order and serve as Australia’s backup keeper, Josh Inglis emerged victorious in the contest. Smith was forced to miss out because the 2021 winners added an extra seamer and spinner because there are more games this time around.
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Bailey stated, “We’re just trying to find the right balance between travelling there, playing each game against different opponents, in different locations, on different surfaces, and wanting to have all 15 players on the selection table for each and every game so that we can have those discussions to structure up how we want.”
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