Kim says let Smith bat ... not captain

FORMER Test captain Kim Hughes says batting superstar Steve Smith should be left alone to “just bat” and not be part of the conversation for Australia’s next skipper.

Smith isn’t eligible to be captain again until March 2020 under the conditions of his ban for the sandpaper scandal in South Africa.

He returned to Test cricket in the opening Ashes clash at Edgbaston, and his two centuries, the first time he had achieved that feat in his career, have made him the standout talking point going into the second Test at Lord’s.

Hughes, who played 70 Tests, including 28 as captain, said Smith’s batting was “unbelievable” at Edgbaston.

And Hughes, who was at Birmingham and also at Lord’s casting his eye over the Australians, said batting should be all Smith has to do for at least the next three or four years.

“Just let him play. Tim Paine is doing an outstanding job as captain,” Hughes said.

“Maybe the captaincy is a question in three or four years’ time. Just leave him to get on with the job of batting.”

He dismissed any notion of Smith moving to No.3 in the batting order, like England’s Joe Root. Hughes said the best player of his era and one of the best ever, West Indian Sir Vivian Richards, only ever batted at No.4, where Smith comes in.

He said Smith was just an “exceptional” batsman.

“You don’t like the word freak, but he is one out of the box. He was exceptional, unbelievable,” Hughes said. “His attitude and dedication is just obsessive. You still have to get out there and do it, but his patience and persistence is something else.”