Steve Smith 'keen' to lead Aussies if Cricket Australia presents him with an opportunity

Australia's Test batting mainstay Steve Smith has said that he is open to captain the national team once again should an opportunity come his way.  Smith was named the five-time World Cup-winning team's skipper when Michael Clarke had called it a day from the game after Ashes 2015. However, 'Smudge' was stripped of captaincy due to his involvement in the controversial  'Sandpapergate' scandal in March 2018. He was succeeded by Tim Paine who continues to lead the Aussies in the game's longest format to date whereas, Aaron Finch captains the side in white-ball cricket.

'I would be keen': Steve Smith 

“I’ve certainly had a lot of time to think about it and I guess now I’ve got to a point where if the opportunity did come up again I would be keen. If it was what Cricket Australia wanted and it was what was best for the team at the time, it’s certainly something I would be interested in now, that’s for sure,” said Steve Smith while speaking to News Corp.

“I feel as though I’d be in a better place if the opportunity did come up. If it doesn’t, that’s fine as well and I’d support whoever is in charge the same way I’ve supported Tim (Paine) and Finchy ( Aaron Finch)," the 2015 World Cup winner added.

The infamous ball-tampering scandal 

The then captain Steve Smith, his deputy David Warner, and, Colin Bancroft who were accused of tampering with the cricket ball in the Cape Town Test match were temporarily suspended from international cricket. While Bancroft was banned for nine months and fined  75 percent of his match fee, Smith, and, Warner were banned for 12 months with the former losing out on 100% of his match fee. 

Apart from that, both Smith and Warner were also stripped of captaincy and vice-captaincy respectively and reportedly the duo also lost out on a few sponsorship deals as well.