Australia's Steve Smith celebrates the wicket of Faf du Plessis (not in picture) during the fifth day of the third cricket test match at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town, March 5, 2014.
Australia's Steve Smith celebrates the wicket of Faf du Plessis (not in picture) during the fifth day of the third cricket test match at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town, March 5, 2014. Shaun Roy

25-year-old Steve Smith has been appointed interim captain of the Australia cricket team for the remaining three Test Matches in the ongoing Border Gavaskar Test Match series against India. Incidentally wicket keeper Brad Haddin who captained the team when Michael Clarke limped off the field of play with injury will retain his place as the vice-captain in the remaining three Test Matches as well. Steve Smith has previously captained domestic sides like the New South Wales and Sydney Sixers. He has also been a stand in captain for the now defunct IPL franchisee Pune Warriors.

National Selection Committee chairman Rod Marsh sounded cautiously optimistic when he said, "These are difficult circumstances given Michael's injury and the fact that we don't know how long he will be out of the game. What we do know is that it won't be an overnight fix so after a lot of thought we have taken the opportunity to appoint an emerging young leader as captain until such time as Michael regains fitness and returns to the side."

Steve Smith becomes the 45th person to be appointed as the captain of the Australian Test Match team. He will also be one of the youngest at 25 years old which means that the selectors have gone for the right but more difficult choice. He will have a long future in the side and with a Test Century in the last match at Adelaide Oval he also has form on his side. All captains get better at the job with more experience and Smith will definitely be given a longer rope as he has been earmarked for the role because of his maturity and leadership potential.

Cricket Australia Chairman Wally Edwards has also endorsed the recommendation put forward by the selectors. Steve Smith has played 23 Test Matches so far and scored five Test Match centuries with a batting average of 46.02. He has also taken 14 Test Match wickets at a bowling average of 50.64. He made is Test Match debut as a twenty year old in 2010 againt Pakistan at Lords. The change of captaincy is only effective for the Australian Test Match squad.

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