Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland defends current skipper Steve Smith amidst public backlash

On Nov. 4, the Australian cricket team handed their fifth consecutive loss at the Test to South Africa. Due to this, plenty have rallied for a change in the team, which is currently headed by skipper Steve Smith.

The consecutive losses is only the third in the Australian team’s history, as Smith infamously joins the ranks of previous captains Michael Clarke and Kim Hughes. Despite the current disdain for him, Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland has not lightened up on his outpouring support for the 27-year-old athlete.

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"We certainly are very conscious of the fact that Steve has come into the role much younger than any of his four or five predecessors," Sutherland told ABC Grandstand. He went on to make it a point that Smith’s predecessors were all between 29 and 34 and were already world-class players at the start of their stints as captain. Sutherland continued to state that despite their already evident success as batsmen, they still had a difficult time adjusting to heading the Cricket Australia team.

Smith, on the other hand, was entrusted with the role of skipper at a more tender age of 26. “We have a very high regard for Steve Smith as a person as ,a leader and obviously as a cricketer,” Sutherland said. “We think that with his support, and as he builds a team around him and they perform, he's got a very bright future as a leader for a long time to come.”

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Sutherland was also quick to dismiss any rumours that a lack of preparation was to blame for the loss against South Africa. "The South Africans have had the same schedule in terms of preparation as we've had,” he said. He pointed out that the Australian team and South African team played against each other in October, then went on to play others in relatively equal matches before facing each other again. "So if you draw that comparison the team we're playing against hasn't had any different preparation, so yes ideally you might have different preparation but the facts of the matter [are] you can't."

He ended the interview by confirming that Test cricket is definitely still a priority, but that the ultimate goal is to have the best teams in the world.