Australian vice-captain Steve Smith confronted the King of Spin following brash remarks about his recent leadership appointment.
Australian cricket great Shane Warne has revealed Test vice-captain Steve Smith confronted him over the phone following “harsh” remarks about his recent leadership appointment.
Smith captained the Australian Test team for three years before the infamous ball-tampering saga in Cape Town, following which he was banned from any leadership positions for 24 months.
After wicketkeeper Tim Paine stood down from the Test captaincy last month, pace bowler Pat Cummins was announced as the Tasmanian’s successor, with Smith his deputy.
But the appointment did not sit well with Warne, who penned a Herald Sun column arguing Smith should not have been named Australian vice-captain.
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During a rain delay on day one of the Gabba Test, Warne and former Australian batter Mark Waugh debated on Fox Cricket whether the 32-year-old deserved another opportunity to serve in a leadership position.
“I think it’s the right move to have Steve Smith as vice-captain,” Waugh said. “He made a mistake, we all know that. We move on, he paid a heavy penalty I feel at the time, so I think he’s probably learnt that.
“We all make mistakes, as long as you learn from your mistakes.
“To me he’s the obvious vice-captain in the team. If Pat Cummins does get a niggle or needs to rest from a Test, you need someone with experience to take over. I’m happy with it. Warnie’s got a different opinion on it, which is fine.”
In response, Warne pointed out it seemed hypocritical that Smith could captain Australia while Warner was still banned from any leadership roles.
“I spoke to Steve Smith,” Warne revealed. “He messaged me and said, ‘Jeez, you’re a bit harsh on me aren’t you,’ and we talked it out. That’s what respect does.
“Just because someone doesn’t like your opinion doesn’t mean you have to get nasty and personal about it. Everyone’s allowed to have their opinion. Just because you don’t agree with it.
“I was happy Steve Smith contacted me because I consider him a friend. We’ve worked together at the Rajasthan Royals, I used to work with him when he was bowling, was he a leg-spinner a long-time ago? So we’ve got a respect for each other and it was nice of him to actually ring me and say, ‘Mate, why did you think that?’
“I told him my point of view and he said, ‘I understand it and I’m sure a lot of people have that point of view too.’
“But it doesn’t mean we don’t like each other, so we respect each other and I like Steve Smith, how could you not? He’s a great guy, he’s one of the best Test batsmen in the world, if not the best in the Test arena, so I think that’s how it should be.
“Someone shouldn’t be personally attacked for having an opinion and just because you don’t agree with it, whatever there is, there’s got to be respect.
“Like he said to me, ‘Mate, you’ve been in the game for 30-odd years, you’ve earned the right to have your opinion and I respect it, I just don’t agree with it.’
“And that’s OK, I just think there’s been too much if you have a different opinion.”
England was bowled out for 147 on Wednesday, with Cummins claiming the sixth five-wicket haul of his Test career. Play will resume on Thursday morning at 10.30am AEDT.
