With Michael Clarke set to miss the remainder of the series against South Africa, the immediate spotlight turns on stand-in skipper George Bailey.
The 32-year-old Bailey filled in for Clarke against South Africa on Sunday and is set to take the reins for the remaining three games of this series.
The longer-term outlook remains unclear, though, with the full extent of Clarke's injury not likely to be known until later this week. Coach Darren Lehmann remains hopeful that his skipper will be available for the forthcoming Test series against India and the World Cup.
I'm no medico, but basically what we're going to do is see how he goes in the next couple of days. They (doctors who looked at scans of Clarke's injured hamstring) were reasonably encouraged, but I don't know the ins and outs of it too much – I just want to know if he's in or he's out.
If Clarke doesn't make the cut, then Bailey appears to be the first choice—in the one-day arena, at least. There are some question marks against both Bailey's batting and tactics, though.
Chasing a small total in the most recent ODI , South Africa sneaked home with just three wickets to spare. Strange then to see that Australia's most dangerous bowler, Mitchell Johnson, didn't bowl his full complement of 10 overs. More baffling was the decision to recall the expensive Nathan Coulter -Nile to the attack with 14 runs required.
Bailey has a solid, if unspectacular record as skipper of Australia's ODI team. In 21 matches with Bailey in charge, the Aussies have won nine, lost 10, with two no results.
Before the series against South Africa, there was some speculation about Bailey's place in the ODI side. In 14 ODI innings this year, the Tasmanian has scored just 374 runs at an average of 28.77. His 70 against the Proteas at the WACA last week will have reduced the immediate pressure. More failures, though, and the whispers about Bailey's place in the side will grow louder.
Bailey certainly has the support of his teammates, however. Mitchell Johnson told The Sydney Morning Herald , “We back him [Bailey] 100 per cent. It's unfortunate to have this injury but George has been captain for the Australian team for a few of the formats and has done very well in the one day stuff."
Despite the doubts, Bailey seems the firm favourite to lead the Aussies into the World Cup if Clarke fails to regain fitness.
The captaincy picture is less clear for the Test series. Given his mediocre record, it's unlikely that Bailey will be in the frame to lead the five-day team. Brad Haddin would be the obvious replacement for Clarke, but the wicketkeeper is himself under something of an injury cloud.
The vice-captain injured his shoulder during the recent series against Pakistan and will need to prove his fitness before the start of the India series.
If Haddin misses out, the captaincy field looks wide open with Steve Smith, Shane Watson, Chris Rogers and even David Warner likely to be considered.
Shane Watson is the most experienced of the quartet, but the selectors may want to avoid adding the extra burden of the captaincy on the all-rounder's fragile frame. He could fill in as a stopgap, though.
David Warner's rehabilitation from bad boy to poster boy is almost complete. The left-hander has little in the way of captaincy experience, but his place is assured at the top of the order. The 28-year-old has thrived this year, averaging 67.83 in his 12 Test innings in 2014. Putting Warner in charge would certainly be a left-field punt but may be a step too far for the selection panel.
Chris Rogers would be a safe pair of short-term hands. He certainly has the captaincy experience, but after a torrid run of form his place in the side isn't guaranteed.
The man most likely to replace Clarke then is Steve Smith. Despite having played only 22 Test matches, the 25-year-old appears to be the heir apparent.
Following a slow start to his Test career, the New South Welshman has cemented his place in the Australian middle order. After skippering the Sydney Sixers to Big Bash glory, he has experience of leading a side in a big-game environment too. Of course, steering the Australian Test side would be a huge step up.
Leading a side on home soil with a potent attack against notoriously frail tourists seems like a decent recipe for a fledgling captain to succeed. If Michael Clarke misses out, it looks like Steve Smith will get that golden opportunity.
from Bleacher Report http://ift.tt/1EUBCn0
via IFTTT November 17, 2014 at 04:32AM
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