Test greats split over Smith's leadership

Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith says Australia's current Test skipper Steve Smith looks "a bit lost" and believes public debate over his leadership will begin if the Aussies can't reverse their current four-match losing streak.

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But wicketkeeper-batsman Peter Nevill has dismissed any concerns about his captain's leadership, saying the skipper has the "full confidence" of the Australian dressing room. 

After a strong start under Smith's leadership that included 11 Tests unbeaten, Australia were swept 3-0 in Sri Lanka and then beaten at home by South Africa in their series opener in Perth this week.

Smith's South African namesake, himself elevated to the Test captaincy early in his career, said he empathised with the Australian as he tried to mould the team in his image.

But the 35-year-old believes the leadership credentials of Vice-captain David Warner will be touted if Australia's current form continues.

"I’m sure there’s going to be a debate about him and Warner (for the captaincy) that will come into play. No doubt," Graeme Smith told Fox Sports.

"If he loses again I’m sure there will be that debate in the media here, I have no doubt."

Former Australian skipper Bill Lawry, meanwhile, has called for patience and said 27-year-old Smith will develop well into the role over time.

"Smith will be a great captain, he's a super young player and he'll do well," Lawry said.

"He's got Warner, who is one of the best opening batsman we've produced in my lifetime, so aggressive and so athletic so we've got something to build on.

"We've just got to get an attack that's steady and some batsmen that can make some runs and we might have to be patient for a while."

Nevill, Smith's state and international teammate, said there was no doubt in his mind about Smith's ability to lead to side.

"I can't speak highly enough about Steve as a player, as a person and as a captain," Nevill told SEN Breakfast.

 

"I'm sure he's got the full confidence of everybody in the change rooms."

Graeme Smith, who led the Proteas to two famous Test series wins on Australian soil, said the Australian skipper was still learning a lot about himself as a captain.

And he said the recent release of several tell-all books from past players, notably Smith's predecessor Michael Clarke, highlighted the fact that the current skipper has inherited a dressing-room that was "polarised" at times.

"I look at him and you kind of think he's trying to figure a lot of stuff out at the moment," said Smith, who along with Lawry was inducted as a Bradman Honouree at the SCG on Wednesday.

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"I certainly went through those phases in my career and you need to figure them out quickly.

"He's probably asking himself a lot of questions about style of play, what type of leader he is, what is the type of players that he wants to walk on to the field with.

"What is his style? Like does he want three seamers that are fast? Does he need a guy to keep it tight? Does he want a spinner? What type of line-up and then the personality of that team.

"But as a leader, I think you need to understand that for yourself about who you are and that's the only time you can really get your team to play with that personality.

"I think he's trying to figure that all out at the moment. It certainly looks that way and he looks a bit lost.

"If I I think about earlier years it was always built on respect and the value of the Baggy Green.

"Maybe players didn't always get on but they respected the environment and they were traditional and they understood the importance of what playing for Australia meant.

"You kind of always got the feeling that there was a polarised sense in the Aussie team over the last few years and maybe Steve Smith has inherited that a little bit and trying to build again.

"I think that has obviously come through in all the books, it comes through in the relationships that the guys had."

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