The Spin King has yet again fired inflammatory comments at the Australian camp…
Steve Smith has rubbished Shane Warne’s claims that Australia coach Darren Lehmann has too much of an influence on the side.
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Warne told 3AW Radio that Lehmann had too much of an involvement in the team’s on-field tactics, and that it was Lehmann – not Smith – that made the decision to declare on the final day of the Boxing Day Test last year.
“He’s got to be a little bit careful – he’s got to stop walking out on the MCG and declaring,” Warne was quoted by The Australian.
“He’s got to remember that that’s the captain’s job and not the coach’s job. Darren Lehmann understands the game of cricket – he’s a good man manager and he’s got to remember what it was like when he played and what the coaches were like.
“The captain is in charge and it’s something that Australian cricket has to look at; what is the way they want to do things and who is in charge? That’s the way we’re used to it in Australian cricket – the captain is in charge.”
Smith maintained that the decision to declare against India was his own.
“Everyone that was playing that Test match knew what was going on, knew that I’d made that declaration,” Smith said.
“I think Boof has done a terrific job around the group as coach, he’s done an outstanding job getting all the players together. We’re in a good place.
“It’s exclusively up to the captain what happens out there. (In) your breaks in play and stuff throughout Test matches and all that kind of thing he comes and gives a bit of what he thinks we can do in the next session and that kind of thing but the captain is the one that runs the ship.”
Australia face New Zealand in their next World Cup Pool A clash after Saturday’s match with Bangladesh was cancelled due to Cyclone Marcia.
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