SHARP BLADES SMITH STUNNED BY OMISSION OF ROOT
‘ Joe is terrific in all formats of game’
STEVE SMITH admits he was surprised to see Joe Root overlooked by England for the upcoming Twenty20 series against Australia.
Test captain Root, who smashed two powerful knocks of 64 and 65 for Yorkshire Vikings in consecutive days in the Vitality T20 Blast, has been left out despite the ongoing absence of Ben Stokes and Jason Roy’s injury.
His omission suggests the selectors are moving on from arguably their most accomplished technical batsman when it comes to the shorter format.
Australia have taken the opposite route, drafting Smith – their most dominant red- ball player – back into the T20 lineup after a three- year absence between 2016 and 2019.
And they have handed him the kind of ‘ designated driver’ brief Root aspires to in a side full of power- hitters and innovators. Smith said: “It’s a surprise. Joe is a terrific player across all formats of the game.
“I guess England are opting for all- out power. Everyone’s got different game plans and different ways to go. If everyone played the same it would be a pretty boring game.
“There’s a few ways to skin a cat and ours might be a little bit different to England’s, which might be a little bit different to India’s.
“That’s the route they’ve taken for now but I guess we’ll concentrate on the way we go about our business.”
Smith sees clearly how he fits into Australia’s plan, with the three- match series starting on Friday in Southampton.
“I know my role within this team,” he said. “It’s important every player has a role to play and understands the way they play their best. I know if I’m batting with someone like
Glenn Maxwell or Aaron Finch my role is to get them on strike and let them smack it.
“For me, it’s about hitting gaps, playing an anchor role and fixing things up if the big boys don’t smack it.
“We all know our roles and I’m comfortable with mine. You’ve got to keep refining and keeping up with the new skills.
“You have just got to keep getting better. But I don’t think there is a reason why players can’t be quality across all formats of the game.”
One role Smith is not looking at is that of captain. The former skipper is eligible once again following a two- year ban on leadership positions, dating back to his part in the balltampering scandal of 2018. His esteemed predecessor Ricky Ponting has suggested Smith should only be restored once the Australian public are ready to accept him. But the 31- year- old insists he is happy in the ranks under Test captain Tim Paine and limitedovers skipper Finch. “The guys we’ve got are doing great jobs across the formats,” said Smith.