Published: Dec 03, 2019, 05:26 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 03, 2019, 05:26 PM (IST)
Steve Smith has responded to allegations that he was undermining his Australia captain Tim Paine’s authority by setting field during the fourth day’s play of the Adelaide Test against Pakistan.
Former Australia captain Ian Chappell had expressed his disappointment at Smith moving fielders terming it ‘white-anting’ the captain. But Smith disagrees saying he’s only helping the team’s cause.
“I only try and help Tim as much as I can,’ Smith told 9News. “He’s doing a terrific job, but I give him suggestions and things like that. I only want the team to do well. I’m certainly not undermining him.”
Smith was banned from leadership role after his role in the Newlands ball-tampering scandal.
Talking to Macquarie Sports, Chappell had said, “I tell you what I don’t like to see, Steve Smith is moving a few fieldsmen around. He did have a chat with Tim Paine, trying to talk Tim Paine into moving a fielder on the off-side, but I’m not sure Tim Paine moved him as far as Steve Smith wanted. Steve Smith started moving him, I hate to see that. England used to do it a bit, blokes other than the captain and I always felt it was white-anting the captain.
Australia defeated Pakistan on the fourth day of their second Test by an innings and 48 runs for a 2-0 clean sweep. It was their sixth straight win in a Day-Night Test.
Australia next host New Zealand for a three-Test series starting from December 12 in Perth.
