One of the greatest rivalries in the sports arena, the Ashes is all set to take over the lives of zillions of cricket fans across the globe from December 8 onwards. The last time when Australia and England locked horns for the Urn in 2019, both sides shared the honors, 2-2. So, this year’s clash, in Australia, is going to be something really special as there is a lot at stake. However, just before the mouth-watering face-off, Australia were rocked by a “sexting” scandal involving their current Test captain Tim Paine. This episode has left the Kangaroos headless a few weeks prior to the series. Now, the conundrum is: who will step in to lead the side at the last minute in a series as critical as this? Several names are being tossed around but three candidates come across as ideal options to lead the side against England.
Steve Smith
Though several former Oz cricketers have expressed their reservations over Steve Smith’s candidature, in reality, he is one of the men suitable for the occasion. With 774 runs in four matches at an average of 110.57 in the 2019 Ashes series, Australia would find it almost impossible to zero in on a better leader who can lead by example. A lot of water has flown under the bridge since the “Sandpapergate” scandal in 2018 and Smith deserves another chance at redemption. So, the Australian board should let bygones be bygones while looking at Smith’s eligibility.
Pat Cummins
The Australian pacer is currently the favourite to occupy the hot seat as he was interviewed by the Australian board for the job recently. The current vice-captain also happens to be a right choice as apart from being a deadly bowler he is a useful batter lower down the order as well. Being a bowler he can very well gauge the pitch conditions, which could help him make informed decisions on the field as a skipper. However, the only issue regarding Cummins is the scary prospect of an injury, in a long and hard-fought event like the Ashes, no side would want to look for another captain mid-way through the series.
Marnus Labuschagne
The right-handed batsman happens to be another ideal candidate for the top job of the Australian cricket team. The South African-born Oz became the first concussion substitute batsman when Smith got hit by a fiery bouncer of Jofra Archer in the 2019 Ashes. He was also the leading scorer for Australia in the year 2019. If Australia is looking for a permanent captain then Labuschagne fits the bill perfectly with a batting average of 60 in Test cricket. Apart from being a prolific batsman, he is also a useful leg-break bowler. If Cricket Australia (CA) wants to choose a youngster for the coveted job then there is no one else like Labuschagne.
